First Case of New Mpox Strain Confirmed Outside Africa

Facts

• A day after the World Health Organization declared the disease a global public health emergency, health officials confirmed the first recorded case of the clade 1b type of mpox outside of Africa, involving an individual in Sweden.^[1]
• On Thursday, Olivia Wigzell, the acting head of the Swedish public health agency, stated that the individual had sought medical attention in the Stockholm region. She emphasized that the general population is not at risk.^[2]
• Sweden's public health agency said “occasional imported cases like the current one may continue to occur” in the coming days and weeks. To date, no cases have been identified in either the US or Canada.^[3]
• On Friday, China announced it would begin screening individuals and items for mpox upon entry over the next six months. China's customs administration advises travelers from virus-infected countries to declare any symptoms upon entry.^[4]
• Mpox spreads through skin or fluid contact. The disease causes a painful rash and flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills. The Cleveland Clinic reports that symptoms last two to four weeks and usually resolve on their own.^[5]

Sources: ^[1]Reuters, ^[2]BBC News, ^[3]Al Jazeera, ^[4]Guardian and ^[5]Voice of America.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Reuters. Considering the severity and extent of the mpox outbreak in Africa, it is no surprise that a Swedish national who recently traveled there has tested positive. This is likely indicative of dozens of undetected European cases. Global health experts must respond to this crisis to avoid an accelerated global spread of the mpox virus.
• Narrative B, as provided by BBC News. While this is a concerning development, the infected person has received care and was treated in accordance with the health agency's recommendations. There's no risk to the general public, and high-quality health care in Europe and elsewhere will greatly mitigate the spread in the developed world.

Predictions