The latest outbreak of mpox in Africa has been classified as an international health emergency by the World Health Organization WHO, which sees risks of further spread.
In Sweden, a case of mpox clade 1 has been confirmed in Region Stockholm. It is also the first to be diagnosed outside the African continent. Yesterday, the Public Health Authority issued recommendations linked to the mpox virus.
Can become airborne
Currently, mpox is mainly transmitted through close physical contact with a person who is infected. But Niklas Arnberg, professor of virology, raises a finger of warning that the disease can become airborne.
– That risk cannot be ruled out, which is why we take this so seriously. That is why the WHO is also declaring a global emergency I would say. This is a so-called DNA virus, it mutates slowly compared to, for example, the coronavirus. Having said that, there is a risk that it could develop and mutate and become airborne, we really don’t want that, he says and continues:
– It is incredibly important that you do everything you can and deploy lots of resources to suppress the spread of infection. The more infected we have, the greater the risk that the virus will be able to develop and become airborne.
Sweden has good preparedness
Niklas Arnberg, however, describes Sweden’s preparedness as relatively good – especially when compared to the coronavirus.
– Now we have a lot more knowledge and experience from the latest pandemic. But it is also the case that we have a vaccine developed against the smallpox virus that probably works and provides good protection also against mpox clade 1. We don’t know for sure yet, but have good reason to believe so, he says.
Not worried – at the moment
He also says that Sweden has developed an antiviral drug against the smallpox virus in the past for preparedness purposes.
– This antiviral drug probably has a good effect against this variant of mpox. All in all, we have very good preparedness, says Niklas Arnberg.
Are you worried?
– At the moment I am not worried. However, I would be more worried if it turns out that the spread is gaining momentum and that many, many more people are becoming infected, because that gives the virus an opportunity to mutate and become airborne. It is very important to push back the spread of infection.