New Mpox Variant Clade 1b Detected in Germany for the First Time
BERLIN, Germany — The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s premier health authority, announced that an infection with the newly-emerged mpox variant, clade 1b, has been identified in the country for the first time, sparking vigilant monitoring by health officials.
The infection, which was confirmed last Friday, has been traced back to international travel, with authorities suggesting it was likely contracted in an unspecified East African country. The afflicted individual, a 33-year-old resident of Cologne, is currently receiving isolated treatment at a local hospital. "It can be assumed that the patient acquired the infection in an East African country," remarked a spokesperson from the North Rhine-Westphalia regional health ministry.
This marks the first case of the variant in Germany, though the Robert Koch Institute has assured the public that there is no immediate increased risk within the country. "We are monitoring the situation very closely," a representative affirmed.
The clade 1b variant of mpox has seen circulation predominantly within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) throughout the current year, with cases also surfacing in other African nations, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—regions previously unrecorded for mpox presence. Beyond the continent, cases have emerged in Sweden and Thailand.
Mpox, a close relative to smallpox, manifests through symptoms such as fever, bodily aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash that progresses to blisters. Traditionally categorized into two genetic subtypes—clade 1 and clade 2—the latter garnered global attention in 2022 amid an outbreak that mostly impacted gay and bisexual men across Europe and the United States, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international public health emergency.
The global response, which included widespread vaccination and educational initiatives, successfully mitigated cases, leading to a revocation of the emergency status by May 2023, after approximately 87,400 reported infections and 140 deaths.
However, in 2024, a fresh epidemic wave emerged in the DRC, characterized by clade 1 which predominantly targets children, and the novel clade 1b. In light of these developments, WHO reinstated an international emergency in August, underscoring the situation’s gravity and the necessity for heightened global vigilance.
German health officials have reassured the public that all known contacts of the infected individual in Cologne have been identified and are under the supervision of local health departments. Authorities continue to advocate for caution and awareness as the clade 1b variant’s progression is monitored on an international scale.
