Belgium Sees Its First Mpox Clade 1b Case…

While the overall risk outside of DRC remains very low, this is likely to be a several month theme here: more EU geographies seeing sporadic Clase 1b outbreaks.

Obviously, had world health cooperatives and authorities pushed the identified vaccine candidate ahead, two years ago -- and then stockpiked quantities in Western African nations. . . this all might have mostly been averted. Here's CIDRAP, with the latest:

. . .Belgium reported the case on December 18 in an adult traveler returning from an African country where the clade 1b virus circulates. The patient, who had sexual contact with a person with mpox-like symptoms, isolated on their own before diagnosis. No high-risk contacts in Belgium have been identified, and the risk to the public in the country remains low, according to the ECDC.

Clade 1b cases have also been reported in Canada, Germany, India, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. . . .

Now you know. . . with more grown kids now due in to the cacti, by Friday night. Grin!

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