The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) considered this Friday that it is “very likely” that there are more imported cases of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) on the continent, but He ruled out that there could be continued contagion if appropriate measures are taken.

“The probability of sustained transmission in Europe is very low“provided that imported cases are diagnosed quickly and control measures are implemented,” said the Stockholm-based European Union (EU) reference body for infections in an updated risk assessment.

The ECDC It also recommended that EU and European Economic Area countries issue advice for those visiting or returning from affected areas. due to the MPOX outbreak, as the risk of infection for those who come into contact with affected communities is “high”. Close contacts of possible or confirmed imported cases, however, have a “moderate” risk of infection.

“As a result of the rapid transmission of this outbreak in Africa, ECDC has raised the risk level for the general population in the EU and EEA and for travellers to affected areas,” said ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner.

The ECDC advises health authorities to maintain “high levels of preparedness planning and awareness raising activities to enable rapid detection and response to any clade I cases that may reach Europe.” “Ensuring effective surveillance and laboratory testing, epidemiological investigation and contact tracing capacity will be vital to detecting clade I mpox cases on the continent and triggering any response,” the ECDC said.

The WHO declared the current outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo two days agowhich has spread to neighbouring countries, as a public health emergency of international scope. Swedish authorities reported yesterday the detection in the Stockholm region of the first case of mpox recorded outside Africa. The ECDC stressed that it continues to work with its local and international partners to help control the transmission of mpox on the African continent.