Sweden's public health agency has recorded what it says is the 1st case of a more dangerous type of mpox outside the African continent. The person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where there is currently a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1b, the agency said.

The news comes just hours after the WHO declared that the outbreak of mpox in parts of Africa was now a public health emergency of international concern. At least 450 people died during an initial
outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the disease has since spread to areas of Central and East Africa.

According to Olivia Wigzell, the acting head of the Swedish public health agency, the infected person had sought care in the Stockholm area and the fact that they were receiving treatment in Sweden did not
mean there was a risk to the broader population. "The affected person has also been infected during a stay in an area of Africa where there is a large outbreak of mpox Clade 1," she told a news conference.

The WHO hopes its latest declaration, that mpox is a public health emergency of international concern, will trigger greater support to the areas most affected. Vaccines are available, for those at greatest
risk or who have been in close contact with an infected person, but many experts worry there is not enough vaccine or funding to get them to the people who need them most.

The mortality rate from the Clade 1b variant in Sweden will not be as high as that seen in parts of Africa, because of the high quality of healthcare in Europe. However, Dr Ferguson said there would likely be
further cases in Europe and other parts of the world "as there are currently no mechanisms in place to stop imported cases of mpox happening".