The first case of the dangerous clade 1 strain of the virus that causes the disease mpox (ex monkey pox) was registered in our country.
According to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), the case of mpox (formerly monkey pox) was reported after 9 October.
It is about a man who reported sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex. His infection occurred during travel (imported case).
In recent weeks, eight more cases of the same strain (clade 1) of the virus have been reported to the ECDC in 6 other European countries:
1 in Belgium
2 in Germany
2 in Italy
1 in the Netherlands
1 in Portugal
1 in Sweden
The cases in Belgium and Greece were imported. The cases in Spain and the Netherlands had no connection to travel (so they were not imported). Four out of a total of nine cases in recent weeks were men who had sex with men (besides the Greek one, the cases in Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands are included).
These data suggest that there is now domestic transmission of the clade 1 strain that causes mpox in the sexual networks of gay and bisexual men, the ECDC emphasizes.
From August 2024
The clade 1 strain of mpox disease became widely known around the world in August 2024, when mass cases and many deaths began to be reported in some African countries.
Gradually, imported cases began to be reported outside the African continent. They were people who usually came directly from endemic countries. Eventually, some sporadic imported cases began to be reported in Europe as well.
In particular, before 9 October 2025 in the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA), a total of 30 cases of mpox from clade 1 had been reported:
6 in Belgium
4 in France
12 in Germany
4 in Ireland
2 in Italy
1 in Spain
1 in Sweden
All but one were caused by the clade 1b strain, which has been causing a major outbreak in some African countries since August last year. The exception was the Irish case which was due to the clade 1a strain.
Seven of these 30 patients required hospitalization. Most were imported cases. But there have also been a few cases (in Germany, Belgium and Ireland) where imported cases have infected members of their families. In any case, there was a travel connection.
The difference is that in recent weeks domestic cases have started to be reported in the European Union, but also in the USA (in California). These are people who get sick without traveling and without coming into contact with infected travelers. This fact prompted the ECDC on 24 October 2025 to warn that now the dangerous mpox clade 1b strain is circulating on European soil.
Another mpox we know
Monkey pox, which was later renamed mpox disease, was widely known in the period 2022-2023. At that time, it spread from Africa, where it was traditionally endemic until then, to the entire planet.
However, its strain that had spread at that time was clade 2. This causes a milder disease than clade 1. The clade 2 strain is still circulating around the planet (and in Greece) causing outbreaks.
In our country e.g. a total of 160 cases from clade 2 had been reported up to October 20, 2025. Now, however, there is also one introduced from clade 1.
From the “old” mpox strain (clade 2), 25,420 cases have been reported in the EU/EEA from 2022-2023 to 9 October 2025. Ten of the patients died.
Deaths were recorded:
4 in Spain
From 2 in Belgium and Portugal
From 1 in Austria and the Czech Republic
Spain has the most cases of the mpox clade 2 strain (over 9,000). They are followed by France with more than 4,500 and Germany with almost 4,500.
Vaccination is required
The ECDC points out that the risk of the general population becoming infected with the dangerous clade 1b strain of mpox is low. However, men who have sex with men are more at risk.
High-risk groups are recommended to be vaccinated against the disease, in one of the specialized centers that exist (also) in our country.
source: Iatropedia.gr