Another spreading virus, another WHO emergency: As with the coronavirus, the World Health Organization has now declared a “public health emergency of international concern” for the Mpox virus. The WHO’s concern relates, among other things, to a new virus variant that was discovered in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the end of 2023. It is a sublineage of the Mpox clade I (Roman for one), called Ib.
But what does that mean specifically for Germany? Is a widespread spread like the coronavirus conceivable? And will there soon be a mask requirement and lockdown again?
Robert Koch Institute sees no increased risk for Germany
First of all, the emergency declaration has no concrete consequences. Rather, it is intended to alert authorities around the world to prepare for possible outbreaks.
The virus is currently particularly rampant in African countries. The African health authority CDC has already reported more than 14,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries this year. Only a small proportion of these have been confirmed in the laboratory.
More information:
What are the symptoms of an Mpox infection?
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One Mpox infection is often manifested by the appearance of one or more non-specific symptoms such as Fever, chills, Muscle pain, Headache, Fatigue or Joint pain. In more than half of the cases swell the Lymph nodes which can be associated with pain. It can also lead to Inflammation in the throat come and Difficulty swallowing cause.
Also typical for Mpox infections is pox-like rashwhich, however, does not necessarily occur in all cases.
According to the RKI, the disease is usually mild to moderate in adults and subsides after 14 to 21 days. However, the infection can also be fatal in children and immunocompromised people.
In Germany, there are no confirmed cases of the new virus variant Clade I, as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) explained. “The RKI does not currently believe that there is an increased risk from clade I viruses in Germany, but continues to monitor the situation very closely and adapts its recommendations if necessary,” it says. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control also currently classifies the risk of variant Ib for Europe as “very low.”
Read also: New trouble over the “pandemic of the unvaccinated” – What is really in the RKI files
Accordingly, as of today, no comparable measures as those taken during the Corona pandemic are to be expected in Germany.
Mpox has a different transmission route than Corona
Another important aspect in assessing the risk of Mpox: The transmission route is different from that of Corona. With Corona, breathing, coughing, talking and sneezing were enough to transmit the virus from person to person. With the Mpox virus, direct contact between skin or mucous membranes and body fluids is required. The blister contents and scabs from smallpox are also infectious.
The RKI also considers droplet infection to be conceivable, but such transmissions have not yet been proven.
Existing vaccine and strong understanding of hygiene
There is also no cause for concern for other reasons at present. Unlike with the coronavirus, where suitable vaccines had to be developed and approved, there are already vaccines for the Mpox virus. These were able to contain the Mpox outbreak of type Clade II in more than 60 countries as early as 2022.
In addition, most people have been well versed in appropriate hygiene measures since the Corona pandemic. Many have incorporated thorough hand washing and disinfection into their daily routine. During cold season, some people still wear protective masks and keep a little more distance from other people. So if the new Mpox variant were to reach Germany, we would be much better prepared than we were back in the Corona era.
