PRISTINA: Kosovo health authorities on Friday said they had detected the European nation’s first case of mpox, in a man who had recently come back from Africa.
Kosovo’s Institute of Public Health said a 30-year-old Kosovo national was admitted to hospital on December 24 after returning from a West African country. It did not mention the country.
“His symptoms were fever, chills, and skin changes in face and hands,” the institute said in a statement, adding that the patient is in a stable condition.
It said the health authorities have traced all people the patient was in contact with and shared recommendations for infection prevention.
On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, raising global alarm.
The WHO approved the first vaccine against mpox in September 2024. Known as MVA-BN, the vaccine is administered in two doses, four weeks apart, to individuals aged 18 and older.
The vaccine has demonstrated 76 percent effectiveness after the first dose and 82 percent after the second, according to WHO data.
Mpox, which causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, was initially identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo before spreading to neighbouring regions and beyond.
The virus is particularly dangerous for high-risk groups and individuals with compromised immune systems, where mortality rates can reach up to 10 percent.
According to the WHO, mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. During pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the fetus, or to the newborn during or after birth.
The natural reservoir of the virus is unknown, but various small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys are susceptible.
