Reports from the French Ministry of Health or major news outlets

France Identifies First Case of New Mpox Variant Clade 1b in Brittany Woman After Central Africa Contact

Jan 7, 2025, 01:30 AM

France has identified its first case of the new mpox variant, known as clade 1b, in a woman in Brittany. The patient, who was diagnosed at the CHU de Rennes, had not traveled to Central Africa, where the virus is actively circulating, but had been in contact with two individuals who had returned from the region. The French Ministry of Health has initiated investigations to trace the source of the infection and identify all potential contacts. Mpox, which causes skin lesions, high fever, and muscle pain, is considered more contagious and dangerous in its clade 1b form. This variant was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread to neighboring countries and beyond. Four other European countries, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, have reported cases of this variant since the summer. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assesses the risk of infection for the general population in France and Europe as low, but emphasizes the importance of vaccination for high-risk groups and contact tracing. The World Health Organization has maintained its highest level of alert regarding the mpox epidemic due to the increasing number of cases and countries affected.