Germany identifies its first case of new mpox variant, Bild reports

The first case of the new mpox variant has been detected in Germany, Bild newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing the Robert Koch Institute for public health.

The Institute declined to give any immediate comment.

The World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August after an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.

The first sign of its spread outside the African continent came on Aug. 15 when global health officials confirmed an infection with a new strain of the mpox virus in Sweden.