01:13Mandatory credit: UNTV / News use only
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for the European Union Dr Hans Kluge rejected fears that mpox was 'the new COVID' during a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.
"Mpox is not the new COVID (...) we know how to control mpox and in the European region we know the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether," he stated.
Last week, WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for COVID-19 as well as Ebola and the 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in the country's capital. According to Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Over 16,000 cases- and more than 500 deaths- have been reported in the DRC alone.
Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases. The less dangerous clade II type -fatal in less than one percent of cases - caused the 2022 global outbreak.
According to the WHO, the virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.
'Mpox is NOT new COVID' - WHO rejects fears of global pandemic, claims 'we know how to control' virus
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for the European Union Dr Hans Kluge rejected fears that mpox was 'the new COVID' during a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.
"Mpox is not the new COVID (...) we know how to control mpox and in the European region we know the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether," he stated.
Last week, WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for COVID-19 as well as Ebola and the 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in the country's capital. According to Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Over 16,000 cases- and more than 500 deaths- have been reported in the DRC alone.
Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases. The less dangerous clade II type -fatal in less than one percent of cases - caused the 2022 global outbreak.
According to the WHO, the virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.
Mandatory credit: UNTV / News use only
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for the European Union Dr Hans Kluge rejected fears that mpox was 'the new COVID' during a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.
"Mpox is not the new COVID (...) we know how to control mpox and in the European region we know the steps needed to eliminate its transmission altogether," he stated.
Last week, WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for COVID-19 as well as Ebola and the 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in the country's capital. According to Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Over 16,000 cases- and more than 500 deaths- have been reported in the DRC alone.
Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases. The less dangerous clade II type -fatal in less than one percent of cases - caused the 2022 global outbreak.
According to the WHO, the virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles.