At the beginning of September 2022, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are the countries with most cumulative cases (in absolute numbers) in Europe.
Mpox (/ˈɛmpɒks/, EM-poks; formerly known as monkeypox)[4] is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals.
Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
However, cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people with suppressed immune systems.
[5] Diagnosis can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing a lesion for the virus's DNA.
[6] German virologist Christian Drosten from the Charité – who was the main medical adviser for the German federal government for measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany[14] and who warned early that the SARS virus potential needed to be investigated[15] – warned in May 2023 that the Mpox disease could aggravate: "Wir wissen aus der Geschichte, dass andere Pockenvirus-Infektionen mit milden Verläufen begannen und sich dann in der Anpassung an den Menschen verstärkt haben" [We know from history that other smallpox virus infections began with mild courses and then intensified as they adapted to humans].
[16] On 20 May 2022, the first case of mpox was serologically detected in a man in Munich, who showed "characteristic skin changes" already the day before.
[22] As of 1 July 2022[update] there were 1,054 cases reported for the whole country, albeit the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) expounded that the situation was not worrisome ("nicht beunruhigend") for the general population.
[39] On 30 June 2022 − with pre-publication on 21 June − the RKI recommended Imvanex smallpox vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), for people with high risk of infection and for people with risk of a severe course of the disease.
[45] This mandatory isolation period can also apply to close contacts that are vaccinated and show no signs of infection.