Germany's disease control center reports 1st case of new mpox variant

BERLIN — Germany's disease control center said Tuesday that a new, more infectious variant of the mpox virus has been detected in Germany for the first time.

The Robert Koch Institute said the person was infected abroad but didn't give any further details, including on where the case was being treated.

The institute said it “is monitoring the situation very closely and adjusting its recommendations if necessary.”

The first case of the mpox virus variant outside the African continent was confirmed in Sweden in mid-August. A case was also reported in Thailand.

The World Health Organization has declared that the increasing spread of mpox in Africa is a global health emergency.

So far, the vast majority of cases have been reported in Congo. Outbreaks of mpox are currently affecting 18 out of 55 countries in Africa and officials there reported there had been 1,000 deaths as of last week. The total number of suspected cases in Africa since the beginning of the year now stands at 42,438, with 8,113 confirmed as mpox, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mpox mostly spreads via close contact with infected people, including through sex. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of mpox in a Congolese mining town that may cause milder symptoms but spreads more easily.