Rabat – Morocco has not reported any new cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, for several months, according to an official source from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
MAP quoted the source as saying on Saturday: “We are closely monitoring the international epidemiological situation.”
This reassurance comes amid rising global concerns about a more dangerous strain of mpox, known as Clade 1, which has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global public health emergency.
Clade 1, a more virulent strain associated with higher rates of severe disease and mortality, has been rapidly spreading in Africa, with significant outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries.
The WHO’s recent declaration of a global health emergency highlights the urgency of addressing this outbreak, as the virus’ spread threatens to impact more regions.
WHO urged health authorities worldwide to ramp up efforts to enhance surveillance, diagnostics, and treatment options to curb the spread of this dangerous variant.
Sweden recently reported its first case of the more dangerous mpox strain, Clade 1, which is a significant development as it marks the first detection of this strain outside Africa.
In response, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a statement saying that the risk to the general population in Europe from the new Clade 1 mpox strain is currently considered very low.
However, the EU is taking precautions to ensure that member states are prepared to handle potential cases.
In 2022, a significant mpox outbreak began in May and prompted the WHO to declare it a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak was driven primarily by Clade 2, a less severe strain, and spread unusually through close contact networks, including sexual networks. Morocco reported five cases during this period.
