Germany has detected its first case of the new Clade Ib variant of the mpox virus, with no related deaths reported. The patient is a 33-year-old man who was isolated after being admitted to hospital for treatment on 12th of this month. The patient had the clade 1b variant, a new form of the virus that is linked to a global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization in August.

Mpox, caused by an orthopox virus, was previously prevalent in West and Central Africa. Infections from another strand of the mpox virus, Clade IIb, have also been reported in Germany and other countries. Clade 2 is a less severe form of mpox than the clade 1b strain. In August, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.