The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Tuesday the confirmation of the first case of the new variant of the mpox virus, which has been linked to a significant outbreak in Africa.
“On October 18, 2024, an infection with mpox from the new clade 1b, acquired abroad, was detected in Germany,” the RKI stated, adding that the “risk to public health in Germany” is currently assessed as “low.”
While the institute did not disclose details about the patient or the circumstances surrounding the infection, it emphasized that it is monitoring the situation “very closely” and will modify its recommendations as necessary.
According to the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Health, the patient is a 33-year-old man residing in Cologne who is presently receiving treatment in a hospital under isolation protocols.
“It is believed that the patient contracted the virus while visiting an East African country,” a spokesperson for the city of Cologne informed AFP. Various media sources have reported that he has been hospitalized since October 12.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and between individuals, leading to symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and skin lesions. The RKI reminded the public that transmission requires “close physical contact.”
