(Scypre.com) – Sweden reported on Thursday its first case of the more contagious and severe strain of mpox, marking the first confirmed infection of this type outside Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) had just declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spread to 12 other countries in the region.
At a news conference, Health and Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed confirmed that Sweden identified a case of the more severe clade I strain of mpox. Mpox, a viral infection transmitted through close contact, is categorized into two distinct groups: clade I and clade II.
The strain responsible for the widespread 2022 outbreak, which led to WHO’s first emergency declaration, was a version of clade II. In contrast, the current outbreak involves a version of clade I, which the Public Health Agency of Sweden warns is likely associated with a more severe disease course and higher mortality rates. The Swedish patient who contracted mpox had recently returned from Africa and sought care in Stockholm.
The clade I strain currently spreading in Congo is noted for its relatively high transmissibility through routine close contact, such as among household members. This differs from the clade II strain, which was primarily transmitted through sexual contact between men who have sex with men during the 2022 outbreak.