Sweden has reported the first case of a more severe strain of mpox - the infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus - to be detected outside of an ongoing outbreak in African countries.
Earlier this week the World Health Organisation declared the mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency, with cases confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries.
What is mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease related to smallpox virus.
It is contagious and can spread through close contact such as touching, kissing or sex or through materials that have been in contact with the virus including clothing and needles.
What are the symptoms of mpox?
Initial symptoms are flu-like. The infected person will have fever, chills, exhaustion, headache and muscle weakness — often followed by a painful or itchy rash with raised lesions that scab over and can take weeks to resolve.
Unlike in previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. That makes it harder to spot, meaning people might also get ill without knowing they are infected.
Why is this outbreak so concerning?
There are two genetic clades of mpox. A clade is a grouping of viruses that has evolved over decades that has distinct genetic and clinical differences.
Clade II was responsible for the outbreak that began in July 2022 and was also declared to be a global health emergency until May 2023.
The new outbreak is driven by clade I, https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/health-officials-on-alert-for-uk-cases-of-new-mpox-strain-EFZVUDFS3ZOGFPNOQLTXQMTUI4/. It is being driven by a new subtype - clade IB.
The current situation is compounded by multiple overlapping outbreaks.
Has Ireland been affected by mpox?
During the 2022 outbreak, cases occurred in Ireland and people were vaccinated. The risk to the population then was considered to be low.
How dangerous is mpox?
Some outbreaks of clade I mpox have a fatality rate of up to 10% but more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates.
People more likely to have severe infections include infants, people with severely weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
