A first case of the new variant of the mpox virus, or monkeypox, has been detected in France, the Ministry of Health announced on Monday.
A first case of the new mpox variant has been identified in France, the Ministry of Health said this Monday evening, January 6, in a press release, confirming information from the regional daily Ouest-France.
“The Ministry of Labor and Health” was informed “of a first human case of clade 1b mpox on the national territory, in Brittany. The recommended management measures have been put in place,” the authorities said in a press release sent to AFP.
This strain of the virus is considered to be the most contagious and lethal. First identified in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970, the disease began to spread to the rest of the world in 2022. The country has reported more than 1,000 deaths linked to the virus since the start of 2024. .
Several countries concerned
In the wake of the epidemic, the World Health Organization decided last November to maintain its highest level of alert regarding the mpox epidemic.
“This decision was taken due to the increasing number of cases and their continued geographic spread, operational challenges on the ground and the need to establish and maintain a coherent response between countries and partners,” he said. writes the agency in a press release.
The clade 1b strain was also discovered in several European countries such as Sweden, the United Kingdom or Germany or in Asia with Thailand and India, as well as in America with the United States and Canada.
According to the Health Insurance website, the infection manifests itself by symptoms such as fever above 38°C, muscle pain or fatigue. Then, through a rash initially localized on the face, it spreads within 24 hours to the entire body, including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Localization on the mucous membranes of the anus, genitals and mouth is common.
