First case of new mpox variant detected in Switzerland
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First case of new mpox variant detected in Switzerland
Switzerland has reported its first case of the new mpox variant, Clade 1b.
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The individual has been isolated, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Officials assured there is no risk of infection to the surrounding community.
The FOPH has confirmed that the infected individual was a traveller returning from Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that Clade 1b is more contagious and dangerous than previous variants of the disease, formerly known as monkeypox.
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Clade 1b has been circulating in several African countries for months. In mid-August last year, the WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern. At the end of February, the organisation decided to keep the international health emergency in place.
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The number of cases is rising and the virus is spreading, according to the WHO. Efforts to contain it are being hampered by fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the new variant, Clade 1b, has been spreading since 2024.
Translated from German with DeepL/sp
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