Doha – French health authorities confirmed Monday the country’s first case of the mpox clade 1b variant in the western region of Brittany, marking France as the fifth European nation to detect this more severe strain.
The case was identified in a patient who had not traveled to Central Africa but had been in contact with two people returning from the region, according to the French health ministry. The patient is currently receiving treatment at Rennes University Hospital and is in stable condition.
“The recommended oversight measures have been implemented,” the health ministry stated, adding that investigations are underway to trace the infection’s origin and identify all potential contacts.
This new variant has raised concerns among global health authorities due to its increased severity compared to the clade 2 strain that caused the 2022 international outbreak.
The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports over 69,000 suspected mpox cases and nearly 1,300 deaths across 20 African countries since early 2024, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo particularly affected.
The clade 1b variant has already been detected in several European countries, including Sweden, which reported the first European case in August, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Outside Europe, cases have been confirmed in Canada, India, Thailand, and the United States.
While French health authorities maintain that the risk to the general public remains low, they have urged high-risk groups to get vaccinated. These groups include men who have sex with men, sex workers, and individuals with connections to countries where the virus is actively spreading.
The virus can cause severe symptoms, including widespread rashes, fever, muscular aches, headache, chills, and lymph node swelling. This new strain is particularly concerning as it has demonstrated rapid spread and appears to evade existing diagnostic methods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to maintain its highest alert level for mpox, urging the need for enhanced surveillance and preventive measures to contain the spread of this more severe variant.
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