Germany’s Center for Disease Control said on Tuesday that a new, more contagious strain of the mpox virus has been detected in Germany for the first time.
The Robert Koch Institute said the man was infected abroad but did not provide further details, including where the case was being treated.
The institute said it was “monitoring the situation very closely and adjusting its recommendations if necessary”.
The first case of the Mpox virus outside the African continent was confirmed in mid-August in Sweden. A case was also reported in Thailand.
The World Health Organization has declared the increasing prevalence of MPOX in Africa a global health emergency.
So far, most cases have been reported in Congo. The MPOX outbreak is currently affecting 18 of Africa’s 55 countries, and officials there have reported 1,000 deaths as of last week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa, the total number of suspected cases in Africa since the beginning of the year is 42,438, of which 8,113 have been confirmed as Mpox.
Mpox is spread mostly through close contact with infected people, including through sex. Also known as Mpox monkeypoxbelongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches. People with more severe cases may develop sores 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 can cause milder symptoms but spreads more easily.