A new outbreak of monkeypox is being observed in Europe: does it threaten Ukraine?
Фото: Reuters
Europe is seeing a sharp increase in infections with a new strain of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. Unlike previous cases, the virus is increasingly being transmitted among people without travel to Africa or confirmed contact with infected people.
According to The Telegraph, at least 46 cases of the clade 1b strain have been recorded on the continent since August, including in Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal. Before that, in the almost two years since the virus appeared in Europe, only 29 cases had been registered.
The clade 1b strain was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in late 2023 and caused a large-scale outbreak there. This variant is considered more contagious than clade II, which spread through Europe and the United States three years ago. Recall that the 2022 outbreak affected more than 90,000 people worldwide and caused about 220 deaths.
WHO consultant Ioannis Karagiannis reported that at least 14 new cases in Europe were the result of local transmission, including within families, and three infected people had no contact with patients and had not traveled.
Mpox is transmitted through close physical contact, mainly during sex. Previously, all cases of the clade 1b strain in Europe were linked to travel to Africa.
“The situation has changed dramatically since the end of August: we are recording local transmission among people without a travel history, as well as among men who have sex with men,” Karagiannis noted.
In the UK and most European countries, the mpox vaccine, which was previously given to children until the 1970s, is now recommended for gay and bisexual men, healthcare workers in high-risk settings and people with close contacts of infected people. The drug is given in two doses and is estimated to provide around 80% protection and reduce the severity of the disease if infected.
According to The Guardian, the clade 1b strain can cause severe illness, including a rash with pus-filled blisters, fever, severe pain, and in some cases, death. The virus has also been linked to serious complications during pregnancy, including a risk of miscarriage.
We will remind, in November, a 24-year-old woman died of meningococcemia in the Koryukiv district of the Chernihiv region.
In addition, an outbreak of Coxsackie disease was recorded in the Kyiv region . A total of 13 children were infected, one of whom continues to be treated in a hospital.
As reported, UK health officials are sounding the alarm over a new mutated strain of flu spreading around the world.
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