Germany identifies first mpox clade 1b case
The mpox variant is the same one linked to a World Health Organization (WHO) global public health emergency declared earlier this year
Germany’s disease control and prevention agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), announced that it had detected the case in Cologne, after the patient was admitted to hospital for treatment on 12 October.
The patient subsequently underwent more detailed testing, the results of which were released on 18 October and showed that they had the clade 1b variant of mpox.
According to a statement by the health ministry of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia – where Cologne is located – the patient is believed to have contracted the virus in an East African country, before returning to Germany.
The RKI said that it “currently considers the risk to the health of the general population in Germany to be low”, but that it is closely monitoring the situation.
An ongoing public health concern
The clade 1b variant is affiliated with a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) declared by the WHO in August.
The PHEIC originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has since spread to neighbouring countries in Africa.
There have also been a number of cases of the mpox variant reported further afield, including one in Sweden in August.
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms, followed by a full recovery. However, risks are greater for immune-compromised individuals.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is transmitted primarily through close contact, such as skin-to-skin contact, sex, or speaking or breathing close to another person.