Experts say mpox epidemic is low-risk in Europe despite new variant

Europe will probably see more imported cases of mpox caused by the Clade I virus currently circulating in Africa, however, the likelihood of sustained transmission in Europe remains very low, according to an updated assessment issued Friday by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), reported Xinhua.

On Thursday, Swedish health authorities confirmed the first case of mpox Clade I in Sweden. It was also the first case caused by Clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent, according to Swedish Public Health Agency.

However, the agency's Chief Epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen has reassured the public that the current mpox Clade I variant poses a low risk of a major epidemic, unlike the early days of COVID-19 in 2019.

In an interview with Swedish television published on Friday, Gisslen emphasized that mpox is a well-understood virus with established preventive measures.

Helena Hervious Askling, an expert in infectious diseases and vaccinations at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet Medical University, noted that mpox Clade I differs significantly from COVID-19. Unlike the novel coronavirus, mpox Clade 1 is not airborne and requires close contact with an infected person to spread. An effective vaccine is also available.

The primary focus should now be on addressing the outbreak in Congo, Askling said, where the disease is causing the most severe problems.

Also on Friday, Swedish media reported that the government's Strategic Coordination Group (GSS) is scheduled to convene soon to discuss the health implications of mpox. This group involving various ministries has already dealt with previous security and health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The patient, who was confirmed as the first case of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden, is said to be in stable condition. Maria Rotzen Ostlund, an infection control physician in the Stockholm region, said that early contact tracing has effectively contained the risk of a broader outbreak.

Despite the low risk of a pandemic, Niklas Arnberg, a virology professor at Umea University in the mid-northern region of Sweden, emphasized the need for continued research and knowledge development. While lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic are invaluable, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding and tools for managing potential pandemic threats.