The Swedish Public Health Agency confirmed on Thursday the country’s first case of monkeypox, or mpox, marking the first report in Europe outside Africa. This comes just a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years. 

The infected individual contracted the disease while traveling in a region of Africa experiencing a major mpox outbreak, according to Olivia Wigzell, Director General of the Swedish Public Health Agency. The patient has received medical care and is following local health authorities’ guidance closely. 

“This case in Sweden involves the most severe form of mpox, known as Clade I, and is the first diagnosed outside Africa,” explained Jakob Forssmed, Sweden’s Minister of Health and Social Affairs. The infection occurred during the individual’s stay in an area heavily affected by Clade I, Wigzell added. 

The outbreak in Europe, specifically in Sweden, comes as at least 13 African nations report active cases, with a 160% increase compared to the same period last year and a 19% rise in mortality, according to Africa’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The WHO Statement

The WHO made its emergency declaration after a sharp rise in cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the spread of the outbreak to neighboring countries, raising alarms in the global health community.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the need for a “coordinated international response to stop these outbreaks and save lives.” 

Swedish authorities stressed that while the risk of transmission in Europe remains low, strict monitoring and isolation protocols are in place to minimize the spread of the disease.

The detection of this first case outside Africa highlights the importance of international cooperation and early-warning systems against pathogens that can quickly reach new regions. 

With this confirmation, Sweden becomes the first country in Europe to report a Clade I mpox case, underscoring the urgent need for epidemiological monitoring and preventive strategies to address potential new outbreaks across the continent.