A person became infected while visiting an area of Africa where there is currently a large population mpox Clade 1 outbreak, the agency said.
The news comes less than a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an outbreak of monkeypox in parts of Africa a global public health emergency.
An outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed at least 450 people, and the disease has already spread to regions of Central and East Africa.
Olivia Wigzell, interim head of the Swedish Public Health Agency, said the infected person had sought help in Stockholm and that the fact that he was being treated in Sweden did not mean there was a risk to the wider population.
“The sick person became infected while visiting a region of Africa where there is a high prevalence mpox Clade 1 outbreak,” she said at a press conference.
Monkeypox is spread through close contact, such as sexual intercourse, skin-to-skin contact, talking or breathing close to another person.
The disease causes flu-like symptoms, skin lesions, and 4 out of 100 cases result in death. Monkey pox is most common in the rainforests of West and Central Africa, where thousands of cases are recorded each year.
There are currently several outbreaks of monkeypox, fueled in part by a newer and more dangerous type of virus Clade 1bfirst registered in September last year.
There are two Clade 1 types, and a more dangerous strain has been identified in Sweden. It was first recorded in the DRC, and later in Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda.
Although in 2022 type of monkey pox Clade 2 caused a public health emergency, it was relatively mild.
Representatives of the European division of the WHO said that they are actively cooperating with the Swedish health care authorities.
It urged other countries to act quickly and transparently, like Sweden, as more imports are likely to hit the European region in the coming days and weeks. Clade 1 cases.
The Swedish Public Health Agency said the more dangerous type of virus is likely to be associated with more frequent, more severe disease and higher mortality.
The WHO hopes its latest declaration that monkeypox is a global public health emergency will prompt more support for the worst-affected regions.
Vaccines are aimed at those most at risk or who have been in close contact with an infected person, but experts note that there are not enough vaccines and funds to provide vaccines to the people who need them most.
Mortality from monkeypox Clade 1b strains in Sweden should be lower than in some parts of Africa, because healthcare in Europe is of high quality.
However, experts worry that the virus will spread in Europe because there are no mechanisms to stop the importation of the infection.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said symptoms of monkeypox usually appear 6 to 13 days after infection, with fever, headache, rash, sores and muscle aches.
Most people had mild to moderate symptoms and made a full recovery, but those with compromised immune systems were at higher risk.
While the news of the first case outside of Africa may be alarming, experts said it was a likely continuation of events.
As other disease outbreaks have shown, a sudden international response can help stop the spread of a disease.
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2024-08-16 09:20:25