Dutch health institute still monitoring Mpox spread after infection in Germany

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) continues to monitor the spread of Mpox. That will not change now that the new variant of the virus has been identified for the first time in a neighboring country. On Tuesday, Germany confirmed the first case of the Clade II variant, which has been circulating in African countries for some time.

According to the RIVM, the case in Germany involves a traveler who has returned from Africa. In Sweden, an infection with the variant had previously also been identified in someone who had recently been in Africa.

The new variant has not yet been identified in the Netherlands. In the event of an infection, the patient will go into isolation to prevent others from becoming infected. The GGD will then conduct a source investigation to determine where the patient became infected, and contact research to see who else may have contracted the virus variant. “The chance that the new variant of the virus is spreading in the Netherlands is currently small,” according to the RIVM.

Patients and people in their immediate environment can be vaccinated against Mpox. In the case of mild infections, people can be given medication to combat symptoms such as itching and pain. An antiviral drug is also available to alleviate severe symptoms.

The first infection in Germany involving the new Mpox variant was diagnosed on Friday, and announced by the Robert Koch Institute on Tuesday. The rapid spread of the new variant led to international concern this year, with the World Health Organization declaring the outbreak an international emergency in August.

Mpox, previously referred to as the monkeypox virus, has two versions. Clade I originates from Congo and the surrounding region, and Clade II from West Africa. Both have a type “a” and “b” subvariant. A form of the Clade II variant caused concern during an outbreak in Europe two years ago that mainly affected men who have had sexual contact with more than one other man.

Within the European Union, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, more than 22,000 people contracted that variant. Approximately 1,300 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the infection.

It is not clear whether the new version causes a higher mortality rate, and how that will play out in Europe. In Africa, a relatively high rate of those infected have died as a result. That could also be due to other health risks, and weaker healthcare systems in some of those locations, virologists note. The European health service ECDC said that the risk for Europe is very low and that available vaccines are effective.

People who contract the virus typically develop the first symptoms 5 to 21 days after infection. They may then suffer from fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. After a few days, they will also develop a skin rash.

The symptoms often disappear within a few weeks. The vast majority of people recover on their own. Mpox is not a sexually transmitted disease, but is mainly spread through skin-to-skin contact, including contaminated clothing and fabrics. Anyone can contract the virus.