Raising awareness about the symptoms of Mpox disease in Goma, Congo (archive photo)
Source: AP
What consequences does this have for Germany? What do holidaymakers need to pay attention to, who should get vaccinated? Is there a threat of a new pandemic, similar to Corona? The good news first: The latter is not to be expected, and experts do not expect dramatic consequences for Germany either. ZDFheute with an overview of what you should know about Mpox.The WHO has declared the highest level of alert due to the spread of the viral disease Mpox. A new variant that is currently spreading in Africa is particularly dangerous. 15.08.2024 | 1:26 min
Why did the WHO raise the alarm?
There are currently several Mpox outbreaks in Africa. More than 14,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries – more than in the whole of last year. The mortality rate is therefore around three percent.
The WHO is particularly concerned about a new variant that was discovered at the end of 2023 and is called “Clade I”. Experts warn that it is more contagious than previous variants and can cause a more severe infection. According to scientists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the mortality rate of this variant in children can reach ten percent. And the number of cases is increasing “exponentially,” the government there said in July.The viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, is spreading in Central Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there were more than 14,000 cases by August. 08/14/2024 | 1:41 min
What are the consequences of declaring an emergency?
The declaration of an emergency does not have any concrete consequences at the moment. On the one hand, the WHO wants to use it to make authorities around the world more vigilant. And it hopes for more financial support for containment measures in Africa.
What exactly is Mpox?
What is Mpox?
Mpox is an infectious disease that was originally transmitted primarily from animals to humans by viruses. To prevent stigmatization, the disease, previously known as monkeypox, was renamed Mpox by the WHO in 2022. In Africa, Mpox has been detected in many different animals, especially rodents and several species of monkeys. The viruses can also be passed from person to person.
In 1970, the disease, then known as monkeypox, was first detected in humans in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo – in a region where smallpox had been eradicated two years earlier. In spring 2003, the first cases outside Africa were reported in the United States. Since May, it has also been spreading to other countries, especially in Western Europe, including Germany.
What symptoms can occur?
The symptoms are similar to those of smallpox. They include fever, headaches, muscle pain, chills and swollen lymph nodes. Sometimes very painful skin changes develop in the form of spots and pustules, which crust over and fall off over time.
The rash mainly appears on the face, palms and soles of the feet. However, skin and mucous membrane changes in the mouth, genitals and eyes are also possible. The skin changes usually last between two and four weeks and heal on their own without treatment.
How is the disease transmitted?
Humans can become infected with the virus through contact with blood and other bodily fluids from sick animals. Transmission from person to person is only possible through close contact. The virus is transmitted through droplet infection, wounds, the contents of blisters and scabs on the skin or bodily fluids such as saliva. According to a study, 95 percent of current Mpox cases are due to sexual contact.
The cases reported in Germany almost exclusively affected men who had sexual contact with other men. Only a handful of cases in women are known in this country. Pregnant women who have been infected with Mpox can pass the virus on to their unborn child. The baby can also become infected during birth.
How dangerous is Mpox?
Symptoms usually last two to four weeks. Infected people can infect others as long as they have symptoms. In contrast to smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980, smallpox is usually much milder; most people recover within several weeks.
However, some sufferers may also experience severe symptoms. Newborns, children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weak immune systems can become seriously ill. Possible complications include skin infections, pneumonia, confusion and eye infections that can lead to loss of vision. The amount of virus to which a patient has been exposed also plays a role in the course of the disease.
Source: AFP
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How high is the risk for Germany?
The European Health Authority ECDC assessed the risk of the new variant spreading in Europe as “very low” at the end of July. In Germany, there are according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) currently only has very isolated reported cases of Mpox, “in the single to low double-digit range per month” and not a single known case of the newer variant “Clade I”. Mpox was first detected in Germany in 2022. In total, there have been around 3,800 cases since then, the vast majority of them in 2022.
“A limited outbreak is certainly possible again,” writes the RKI. However, “a sharp increase in the number of cases like in 2022 is not currently expected.” In addition, vaccines are available.
Molecular biologist Ingo Drexler from the University Hospital in Düsseldorf explains: “The danger for Germany is currently relatively low.” In an interview with ZDF’s midday magazine, however, he qualified it: It is not a question of whether the new virus variant will come to us, but when. It is not just the existing risk groups that will be at risk, says Drexler, referring to the current outbreak areas in Africa:
Half of those affected are women and children. This is a big difference from the outbreak that occurred two years ago.
Ingo Drexler, molecular biologist at the University Hospital Düsseldorf:
Nevertheless, there is no risk of a similar spread in Europe as in Africa, as the hygienic conditions and living conditions here are different from those in Africa, where many people live together in close quarters. In addition, an earlier vaccination against smallpox would probably protect against a serious course of the disease (see below for more information).
There is currently no threat of Corona 2.0 with Mpox.
What does this mean for my vacation?
In most cases: Nothing. Even when travelling to Congo, the Foreign Office estimates the health risk from Mpox to be “currently low”. as it says on the websiteThe same applies to Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi. For several other countries, such as South Africa, the Foreign Office only provides behavioral tips: “Avoid skin contact” or “always use condoms, especially with casual acquaintances.”
A few countries may require health certificates (Nigeria) or negative tests for Mpox (Saudi Arabia) upon entry.
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Should I get vaccinated?
- Anyone who may have come into contact with Mpox viruses but has not yet developed symptoms
- Those who are at increased risk of infection in the event of an Mpox outbreak – examples include men who have sex with men and frequently change partners or staff from special laboratories.
Does a previous vaccination against smallpox also protect against Mpox?
Probably so. “It is assumed that people who have been vaccinated against smallpox in the past also have protection against Mpox/monkeypox due to cross-immunity,” writes the RKI. Although the effect diminishes over time, there is still 85 percent protection, it says. People are even better protected against serious disease progression.
Source: with material from dpa, AFP
