New monkeypox variant hits Belgium: Global health alert
The first case of the new, more contagious variant of monkeypox has been diagnosed in Belgium, as reported by ECDC and Sciensano. This disease poses a potential threat to the health and safety of thousands of people worldwide, with the WHO monitoring and closely observing its development.
Belgium confirmed the first case of this new variant of monkeypox, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Belgian health institute Sciensano.
Belgium has become the fourth country in Europe and the eighth worldwide outside of Africa to detect this variant.
The new strain, known as clade I, is characterized by a higher mortality rate. A patient from Wallonia contracted the virus during sexual contact with an infected person in an African country.
Upon returning to Belgium, he was diagnosed using a PCR test and placed in isolation. It was determined that he had no close contacts upon his return, minimizing the risk of the virus spreading in Belgium.
Monkeypox becoming more dangerous, WHO warns
Clade I of monkeypox was recently discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, cases have been reported in Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as several countries in Asia.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and through intimate contact. It was first identified in laboratory monkeys in Denmark in 1958, although in Africa, rodents are the primary carriers.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and a rash. There are two strains of the virus: the milder clade II, which is found in over 100 countries, and the more deadly clade I. In August, WHO declared monkeypox a global health threat.
Just as before the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, WHO is monitoring the situation and continuously tracking the development of the monkeypox virus. If the situation becomes as difficult as it was in the fall and winter of 2019, safety procedures will be implemented. Unfortunately, years ago, these procedures were not enough, and COVID-19 quickly spread worldwide.
