A first case of infection with the new mpox virus variant has been confirmed in Germany, announced the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Tuesday. The new variant (clade 1b) has caused a major outbreak in Africa.
"A mpox infection with the new clade 1b was acquired abroad and detected in Germany on 18 October 2024," stated the RKI.
The institute added that the "risk to public health in Germany" remained "low."
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted between humans, causing fever, muscle aches and skin lesions.
The resurgence of mpox in Africa and the emergence of a new variant prompted the WHO to declare its highest level of global alert in mid-August.
