The WHO Declared Mpox a Global Health Emergency. Here's Where the Virus Is Spreading and What Vaccines and Treatments Exist
Scientific AmericanAug 19
First Case of New Mpox Strain Confirmed Outside Africa
Above: World Health Organization HQ main building, Geneva. Image copyright: Thorkild Tylleskar via Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
A day after the World Health Organization declared the disease a global public health emergency, health officials confirmed the first recorded case of the clade 1b type of mpox outside of Africa, involving an individual in Sweden.
On Thursday, Olivia Wigzell, the acting head of the Swedish public health agency, stated that the individual had sought medical attention in the Stockholm region. She emphasized that the general population is not at risk.
The Spin
Narrative A
Considering the severity and extent of the mpox outbreak in Africa, it is no surprise that a Swedish national who recently traveled there has tested positive. This is likely indicative of dozens of undetected European cases. Global health experts must respond to this crisis to avoid an accelerated global spread of the mpox virus.
Narrative B
While this is a concerning development, the infected person has received care and was treated in accordance with the health agency's recommendations. There's no risk to the general public, and high-quality health care in Europe and elsewhere will greatly mitigate the spread in the developed world.