Europe set for more cases of new mpox strain, says health agency

It calls for more preparedness but says risk to general population still low

- 

More imported cases of a new mpox strain will appear in Europe in the coming weeks, but the risk of sustained transmission remains low, the head of Europe's disease prevention agency said on Aug 16.

The agency raised its risk assessment for sporadic cases of mpox clade I in Europe to "moderate" on Aug 16.

The risk was high for travellers to affected areas in Africa in close contact with people there, and moderate for their contacts.

"There will be more cases in the coming weeks. That's the expectation... But regarding the risk (for the) general European population, we have to say that our assessment is that the risk is very low at the moment," European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) director Pamela RendiWagner said in an interview.

She called for European countries to step up preparedness and raise awareness to prevent further spread.

An outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) caused by two different forms of mpox, an endemic form and a new offshoot called clade Ib, has caused global concern after it spread to more countries in Africa.

Sweden on Aug 15 became the first country outside Africa to confirm a case of clade Ib.