The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) raised its risk alert level for mpox on Friday, urging countries to maintain heightened vigilance, particularly for travelers from affected regions.
The agency now considers the risk of mpox to be “moderate” for the general population and travelers, up from the previous “low” level. However, the CDC emphasized that the risk of sustained transmission in Europe remains very low, provided imported cases are swiftly identified and control measures are enforced.
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began with an endemic strain known as clade I. However, a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through close contact, including sexual transmission.
Pamela Rendi Wagner, the CDC’s director, highlighted the importance of preparedness in Europe due to close ties with Africa, stressing the potential for more imported cases of clade I.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the African outbreak a public health emergency after clade Ib cases spread to neighboring countries. On Thursday, Sweden confirmed its first case of this new variant, marking the strain’s initial spread outside Africa.
The CDC advised European public health authorities to be ready for rapid detection of any clade I cases and suggested that with proper surveillance and control, the impact in Europe is likely to remain low.
Mpox is a viral infection that typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While generally mild, it can be fatal in rare instances.
