STOCKHOLM – On August 15, Sweden confirmed its first case of mpox, a viral infection that spreads through close contact. The news comes on the same day that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared yet another global health emergency, the second in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that is rapidly spreading to other countries.
🚨SWEDEN CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF MPOX AMID GLOBAL OUTBREAK
The announcement comes on the same day the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in 2 years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to other countries.… pic.twitter.com/wbzuXobdL9
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 15, 2024
Jakob Forssmed, the Swedish Minister of Health and Social Affairs, confirmed at a press conference that the case detected in Sweden belongs to the most serious strain of mpox, called Clade I. This development immediately sparked a debate on the shortcomings of the health surveillance system, which is unable to prevent the entry and spread of new variants of the virus in Europe.
WHO declares global health emergency
The WHO declared a global health emergency after more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths were recorded in Africa this year alone, already exceeding the previous year’s numbers. In particular, the new Clade I variant, more lethal, is worrying for its ability to spread rapidly and go undetected.
Sweden, like many other Western countries, now finds itself faced with a health monitoring system that seems unprepared for new threats. Despite repeated warnings from the WHO and calls for immediate action, Swedish and international authorities have been accused of underestimating the danger posed by mpox, allowing the virus to establish itself in the country.