First case of more contagious variant of Mpox found outside Africa, confirmed in Sweden: Report

Sweden on Thursday confirmed its first case of mpox, a viral infection that transmits through close contact.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has since spread to other nations.

Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed stated in a press conference, “We have now also during the afternoon had confirmation that we have one case in Sweden of the more grave type of mpox, the one called Clade I.”

Mpox, which typically spreads through close contact, is generally mild but can be fatal in rare cases. It presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the skin.
The outbreak in Congo initially involved an endemic strain known as clade I, but a new variant, clade Ib, has emerged, which appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact.

This new variant has extended beyond Congo to countries like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, prompting WHO’s emergency action.

“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its spread to neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further transmission within Africa and beyond is deeply concerning,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

WHO has released USD 1.5 million in contingency funds, with plans to release more in the coming days. The organisation’s initial response plan requires USD 15 million, and it will be seeking additional funding from donors.

Earlier this week, Africa’s leading public health body also declared an mpox emergency for the continent, warning of the infection’s alarming spread. Over 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported this year, mainly among children in Congo.