Sweden has registered the first case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in the country. This is the first time the virus has been detected outside of Africa since the start of a new outbreak in September 2023.
This was reported by the BBC.
The patient became infected during a trip to Africa.
On August 14, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency due to the outbreak of mpox in Africa. The continent has recorded 13.7 thousand cases of the disease, and 456 people have died.
What is mpox?
Mpox is a viral infection commonly found in animals in Central and West Africa. It used to be called “monkeypox,” but in 2022, the World Health Organization recommended replacing this term with “mpox.”
The disease can be contracted through contact with an infected animal, but scientists are not sure that it is from monkeys. In their opinion, smallpox is transmitted to humans by rodents. A person can catch monkeypox if they are bitten by an infected animal or if they come into contact with the animal’s bodily fluids: blood, feces, saliva, etc. You can also get infected if you eat undercooked meat. Monkeypox is manifested by fever and rashes.
