The spread of mpox 2024
The Norwegian Public Health Authority issues recommendations due to the spread of mpox
Ellen Sundstrom
Updated 21.57 | Published 21.34
The Norwegian Public Health Authority issues recommendations due to the spread of mpox.
Among other things, travelers to Sweden must pay attention to clear symptoms for three weeks after returning home.
If you travel into Sweden and have been in an area with ongoing spread of mpox, you should pay attention to clear symptoms, for example painful blisters and sores, they write on their website.
You should pay attention to symptoms for three weeks after you have returned home and contact healthcare if you notice symptoms.
If you have had close contact with a person suspected of having or confirmed to have mpox, you should contact healthcare for advice. This applies regardless of whether you have symptoms or not and regardless of destination, according to the Public Health Agency.
- By "close contact" is meant, for example, that you lived together with someone for a time. But sexual contacts also count here, says Magnus Gisslén, state epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency in a press release.
"Publicly dangerous disease"
If you are going to travel to another country, you should find out if there is an ongoing spread of mpox in the area you are going to travel to. If you are already in such an area, you should avoid close contact. The Public Health Authority emphasizes that sexual contact should be especially avoided.
If you have clear symptoms of mpox, you should contact healthcare and check if you are covered by the Public Health Agency's recommendations for vaccination against mpox, they write on their website.
- Mpox is a universally dangerous disease and it is therefore important that you seek care if you have symptoms. The Public Health Authority is continuously monitoring the situation and these recommendations may change at short notice, says Magnus Gisslén.
5 points about: Mpox
Mpox, formerly known as monkey-pox, is now spreading in a new variant from Africa.
Here are five points about the new virus type.
1. New variant
Mpox clade 1, a new and more serious variant of the Mpox virus, has spread rapidly in Africa, including in countries such as Congo-Kinshasa, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda. Clade 1 seems to be able to infect even with light physical contact, unlike the variant behind the previous outbreak in 2022 which was mainly transmitted through sexual contact.
2. Symptoms and treatment
Mpox clade 1 causes symptoms such as painful blisters and sores on the skin as well as flu-like symptoms. The disease is often mild and heals on its own. However, the risk of serious illness is higher than in previous Mpox outbreaks, especially among children and young people and other people with weakened immune systems.
3. International emergency
The World Health Organization WHO declared the outbreak of Mpox clade 1 as an international emergency on 14 August. Declaring an international health emergency means that the WHO can introduce emergency measures. The European Infection Control Authority, ECDC, has also raised the risk level for Mpox in Europe. According to the WHO, more than 14,000 cases of illness and 524 deaths have been reported so far this year. But the dark figure is believed to be large.
4. First case in Sweden
On Thursday, Sweden reported its first case of Mpox clade 1 in Region Stockholm, which is also the first confirmed case outside of Africa. The patient became infected during a trip to Africa. The patient, who is an adult, is doing well today, Region Stockholm confirms. The government held a press conference about the case.
5. The Public Health Authority issues recommendations
FHM announced on Friday that travelers coming to Sweden should be aware of symptoms of mpox for three weeks after returning home, especially if they have visited areas with ongoing infection. In case of symptoms such as painful blisters and sores, or after close contact with a suspected infected person, you should contact healthcare immediately.
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