Mpox is not the new COVID, says WHO official

“Mpox is not the new COVID, regardless of whether its mpox clade 1, behind the ongoing outbreak in east-central Africa, or mpox clade 2, behind the 2022 outbreak that initially impacted Europe and has continued to circulate in Europe since. We know quite a lot about clade 2 already. We still have to learn more about clade 1.”

“We can and must tackle mpox together across regions and continents. So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world.”

Mpox, a viral infection that causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is usually mild but can kill.

The clade 1b variety of mpox has triggered global concern because it seems to spread more easily though routine close contact. A case of the variant was confirmed last week in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa.

About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month, added Kluge.