Geneva, 20 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) is advising against panic following the first imported case of a new mpox variant in Europe.

Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, noted on Tuesday that the virus has been circulating in the region in an earlier variant, known as clade II, since the previous outbreak in 2022.

According to Kluge, around 100 cases of this variant are currently occurring per month in Europe.

"Mpox is not the new Covid," Kluge said in a video call with the media in Geneva. "We know how to control mpox."

He stated that the outbreak in Europe two years ago was brought under control through high vigilance against new infections, vaccinations and the direct involvement of men who have sex with men.

Ultimately, however, he said that the political will and resources were lacking to completely eradicate mpox in Europe. He added that now is the chance to be vigilant against newly imported cases of clade Ib from Africa as well as to effectively combat clade II.

Last week, due to the current mpox outbreaks in Africa and the new, possibly more dangerous Ib variant, the WHO declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

According to experts, clade Ib appears to be more easily transmissible than previous variants and is also more likely to lead to severe infections. However, Kluge emphasized that there has been only one imported Ib case so far in Europe - in Sweden.

The previously dominant clade II in Europe is primarily transmitted through close skin contact, and those most affected are men who have sex with men.

The virus causes a rash, fever, and muscle pain. This year, more than 14,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 500 deaths have been reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries.

MIA file photo