First case of new mpox variant in Germany

An infection with the new mpox variant clade 1b has been detected in Germany for the first time, the Robert Koch Institute health authority said on Tuesday.

The infection occurred abroad and was detected last Friday, the institute said, adding that it did not see an increased risk for Germany but was "monitoring the situation very closely".

The new clade 1b variant has been circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year and has also been detected in several other African countries.

The infection in Germany was found in a 33-year-old man in Cologne, a spokeswoman for the regional health ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia state told AFP.

"It can be assumed that the patient acquired the infection in an East African country," the spokeswoman said.