Following the spread of Mpox disease to Sweden, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) has urged countries across the continent to step up surveillance around their airports against travellers from nations where the disease had been reported.
The continental health agency added that the nations should maintain high levels of awareness among travellers visiting or returning from affected areas.
The agency said it now sees a “moderate” risk of mpox, compared to “low” earlier, for the broader population and travellers.
It added that the likelihood of sustained transmission in Europe remained very low, provided the imported cases were diagnosed quickly and control measures implemented.
The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I.
Meanwhile, a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact.
The agency’s director, Pamela Wagner, who made the appeal on Friday while addressing newsmen, warned that more cases of clade 1 were likely to be imported due to the close links between Europe and Africa.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the disease in Africa a public health emergency after clade Ib cases began spreading to neighbouring countries of Congo.
After the declaration, a case of the new offshoot was confirmed in Sweden, the first sign of its spread outside Africa.
The European CDC recommended that public health authorities plan and prepare for quick detection of any clade I cases that may reach Europe.
It predicts the impact from this strain of the virus will be low in Europe if proper surveillance and control measures are implemented.
