Netherlands on Alert for New Mpox Variant
Vaccine samples. Photo: X/ @CIDRAP
August 20, 2024 Hour: 7:51 am
On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.
On Monday, the Dutch public health authority (RIVM) said that healthcare providers are on high alert for potential infections from a new variant of the mpox virus.
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“If a case is detected, the Municipal Health Service will conduct source and contact tracing and provide guidance to prevent further transmission. Vaccination is available for close contacts. The Netherlands has sufficient vaccines in stock,” the RIVM said.
RIVM virologist Chantal Reusken said that it is probably only a matter of time before a new variant of mpox appears in the Netherlands. But the risk is low and the disease is manageable due to the country’s robust healthcare system.
Mpox, caused by an orthopoxvirus, was prevalent in West and Central Africa. However, in the spring of 2022, cases began emerging in Europe without direct links to those regions. Following a peak in summer 2022, the number of cases sharply declined by autumn. There were a total of 1,316 confirmed cases to date in the Netherlands.
In 2024, a more deadly variant, Clade 1b, emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries.
On Aug. 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, activating its highest level of global alert for mpox for the second time in two years. On Aug. 15, Sweden reported the first case of the new variant outside Africa.
On Monday, Norway’s Health Ministry announced that its health system is well-prepared to manage any potential mpox outbreak, following a recent case reported in neighboring Sweden.
“The risk of mpox infection in the Norwegian population is low, according to the Institute of Public Health. However, isolated cases may still occur in Norway, as we have seen in Sweden. Our country is equipped with robust health preparedness, a well-prepared healthcare system, and ample access to vaccines to handle mpox infections effectively,” Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre said.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua
