Norway and the Netherlands are both on high alert for a new variant of mpox after Sweden reported its first confirmed case of Clade I, a more infectious variant, last Thursday.

Norway's health system is well-prepared to manage any potential mpox outbreak, following a recent case reported in neighboring Sweden, the Ministry of Health announced in a statement on Monday.

"The risk of mpox infection in the Norwegian population is low, according to the Institute of Public Health," Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre said in the statement.

"However, isolated cases may still occur in Norway, similar to those seen in Sweden. Our country is equipped with robust health preparedness, a well-prepared healthcare system, and ample access to vaccines to handle mpox infections effectively," he added. 

The ministry emphasized its ongoing collaboration with the World Health Organization, the European Union, and Norway's own health agencies, as well as regional health organizations, to monitor and respond to any developments.

Meanwhile, the Dutch public health authority, RIVM, said on Monday that healthcare providers are on high alert for potential infections from a new variant of the mpox virus.

"If a case is detected, the Municipal Health Service will conduct source and contact tracing and provide guidance to prevent further transmission," the RIVM said. "Vaccination is available for close contacts. The Netherlands has sufficient vaccines in stock."

RIVM virologist Chantal Reusken told local media that it is likely only a matter of time before a new variant of mpox appears in the Netherlands. But the risk is low and the disease is manageable due to the country's robust healthcare system, said Reusken.

Mpox, caused by an orthopoxvirus, was prevalent in West and Central Africa. However, in the spring of 2022, cases began emerging in Europe without direct links to those regions. Following a peak in summer 2022, the number of cases sharply declined by autumn. There were a total of 1,316 confirmed cases to date in the Netherlands.

In 2024, a more deadly variant, Clade Ib, emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries. On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, activating its highest level of global alert for mpox for the second time in two years.

On August 15, Swedish health authorities confirmed that they have identified the first case of the more infectious Clade I variant of mpox in the country. The Public Health Agency of Sweden said this is also the first confirmed case of this variant outside Africa.

The Swedish health agency noted that, unlike the previous variant which mainly spread through sexual contact, Clade I is now spreading primarily through household contact and frequently infects children. Though it causes a similar illness to the Clade IIb variant that spread internationally in 2022, Clade I is considered capable of causing a more severe condition and higher mortality.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A medical staff prepares the equipment to dispense the mpox vaccination in a vaccination center in Rijswijk, Netherlands, July 25, 2022. /CFP)