Muthomi Ireri
Europe is urgently working to contain an outbreak of a new, more deadly strain of mpox that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On Thursday, Sweden became the first country outside of Africa to report a case of this more easily transmissible strain, known as Clade 1b. Pakistan confirmed its first case the following day.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of this new strain a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak, which began in 2024 in the DRC, has now spread to at least nine neighboring countries, raising alarm among global health authorities.
Professor Chloe Orkin, an infectious diseases expert at the University of London, warned that it is inevitable that this new strain will reach the United Kingdom due to international travel. However, she emphasized that this does not necessarily mean it will spread widely within the UK. “In the UK, we have the ability to diagnose, conduct contact tracing, and provide vaccinations to those who have been exposed,” Orkin explained.
Mpox is transmitted through close contact with an infected person and causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and boil-like skin lesions. Experts note that the new strain is linked to more severe disease and higher mortality rates compared to the strain responsible for the global mpox outbreak in 2022.
World health leaders have stressed that failing to contain the outbreak poses a significant risk, not only to Africa but to the entire world. The rapid international spread of this new strain underscores the urgent need for a coordinated global response.
Dj Vnyash
