Children infected with new variant German school closes due to Mpox outbreak
Because two schoolchildren near the German city of Cologne are infected with the new Mpox variant 1b, the school is being closed as a precautionary measure - and is switching to distance learning.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- A school near the German city of Cologne has been closed due to the emergence of the new variant of the Mpox virus.
- Pupils at the special school in Rösrath will receive distance learning up to and including Friday. Two schoolchildren had previously been infected with the virus.
- After the infections became known, the responsible health authority identified and informed contact persons from the school and professional environment, among others.
- Mpox symptoms include a typical skin rash and often general symptoms such as fever, headaches and muscle aches. Fatal cases are rare.
After the new variant of the Mpox virus appeared in two schoolchildren, a school near the German city of Cologne was closed as a precautionary measure. The pupils at the special school in Rösrath received distance learning up to and including Friday, according to the Rheinisch-Bergisch district. This is a preventive measure.
Contact persons identified
Previously, an infection with clade 1b had been detected in four members of a family living in the district, including two schoolchildren. According to the district, the family is in quarantine. So far, the course of the disease has been mild.
The public health department and school management decided to take this preventive measure after intensive discussions with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and other specialist institutions with a view to the pupils who require special protection. The school premises remained closed in order to prevent close contact between pupils and thus a possible further spread of Mpox. Friday is the last day of school before the Christmas break.
After the infections became known, the public health department identified and informed contact persons from the school and work environment, among others. They have been informed about possible symptoms and protective measures. According to current knowledge, there have been no further infections to date, said a spokeswoman.
Mpox symptoms include a typical skin rash and often general symptoms such as fever, headaches and muscle aches. Fatal cases are rare.
Infected during a trip to Africa
The Rheinisch-Bergisch district, located east of Cologne, explained that the infection was probably caused by a member of the affected family traveling to Africa with close contact to the local population. The first case of Mpox variant 1b in Germany was detected in Cologne in mid-October. This man was 33 years old and had probably acquired the infection in an East African country.
Mpox - formerly known as monkeypox - is not very contagious. "Close physical contact is required for the transmission of Mpox," writes the RKI. The virus is mainly transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, for example during sex or when hugging, massaging and kissing.
Highest alert level for increased attention
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a "public health emergency of international concern" due to the new virus variant and its increasing spread in Africa. This is the highest level of alert, which should prompt authorities around the world to pay increased attention.
The Mpox virus has various rodents in West and Central Africa as natural hosts. Monkeys and humans are so-called false hosts, to which the pathogen is less well adapted. The virus has two genetic clades (1 and 2). The international Mpox outbreak since May 2022 was mainly due to clade 2b. Later, there was an increase in infections with clade 1b virus in Africa, and such cases have now also been recorded on other continents.
The RKI registered around 3,800 cases of clade 2b nationwide, the majority of which - around 3,700 - from early summer to fall 2022. Since summer 2023, case numbers have been continuously reported at a low level - in the single to low double-digit range per month. No deaths have been registered in Germany.
