A World Health Organization official stressed Tuesday that MPOX, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID as authorities know how to control its spread.
“Behavioural change, non-discriminatory public health measures and mpox vaccination contributed to controlling the outbreak,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, at a UN press conference.
Kluge said the risk to the general population was low.
“Are we going to declare a lockdown in the WHO European region if it is another Covid-19? The answer is clear: 'no',” he said.
“So will we choose to put systems in place to control and eliminate MPOX globally? Or will we enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will be a critical test for Europe and the world.
“We can and must tackle the MPOX problem together,” he added.
Mpox, a viral infection that causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is usually mild but can be fatal.
The clade 1b strain has caused global concern because it appears to spread more easily through routine close contact.
A case of the variant was confirmed in Sweden last week and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.
The WHO declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant was identified.
Kluge said the focus on the new clade 1 strain will also help in the fight against the less severe clade 2 variant that has spread globally since 2022, allowing Europe to improve its response through better health advice and surveillance.
Currently, around 100 new cases of the mpox clade 2 strain are being reported each month in the European region, Kluge added.
Mpox is transmitted through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike previous global pandemics such as COVID-19, there is no evidence that it spreads easily through the air.
Health authorities need to be vigilant and flexible in case new, more transmissible clades emerge or their transmission route changes, but there are no recommendations for people to wear masks, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.
