Overview

• A special-needs school in Rösrath, Germany, has been closed after two students tested positive for Mpox, a virus variant potentially more severe and contagious than previous strains.
• The infections are part of a cluster involving four family members, reportedly linked to a recent trip to East Africa by one member of the household.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Mpox a global health emergency due to rising cases of the Klade 1b variant, though detailed studies on its impact remain limited.
• WHO guidelines recommend hygiene measures and avoiding close contact to prevent spread, emphasizing that Mpox transmits primarily through skin-to-skin contact rather than airborne routes.
• Children, particularly those under eight years old or with preexisting health conditions, are at higher risk for severe Mpox complications, though no deaths have been reported in Germany to date.