EU raises mpox alert level, travelers to Africa urged to get vaccine

European health authorities have advised EU countries to issue travel warnings for regions in Africa witnessing an outbreak of the fast-spreading mpox virus and advised people traveling to these areas to get vaccinated.

Following the detection of a new mpox variant in Sweden, the first case of this strain outside Africa, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that Europe will likely see more imported cases due to the virus outbreak in several African nations. The ECDS expressed concern especially over the worsening situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries, where the number of cases is likely underestimated. The health body has therefore increased its risk level assessment from “low” to “moderate” accordingly.

However, the ECDC considers the risk of ongoing transmission within Europe low, provided the local health authorities quickly identify and control the imported cases. Europeans traveling to “epidemic areas” affected by the recent mpox outbreak in Africa have also been urged to “consult their healthcare provider or travel health clinic regarding eligibility for vaccination against mpox”.

More than 17,000 mpox cases and at least 571 deaths have been confirmed in Africa this year alone. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the new strain, named Clade 1, which is spreading through physical contact, has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – all countries that have never reported cases of mpox before.