Public health authorities are currently tracing the close contacts of the infected patient, who had recently returned to Ireland from Africa
The Health Service Executive has detected the country’s first ever case of Clade I mpox – the more deadly strain of the viral disease previously known as monkeypox. The patient, who is an Irish resident, is currently receiving specialist care in a hospital in the east of the country.
They had recently travelled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Public health authorities are in the process of tracing close contacts of the infected patient, as well as investigating how they came to acquire the infection. The HSE says the risk to the Irish public remains low. There was an outbreak of Clade II mpox in Ireland in 2022, with 229 confirmed cases recorded in the 12 months after it became a notifiable disease on May 27 of that year. Infections peaked in August 2022 and then rapidly declined. Most cases were mild and only 20 of the infections reported in Ireland resulted in hospitalisation. No deaths occurred. However, Clade I is associated with a greater risk of illness and death. While Clade II mpox ceased to be a High Consequence Infectious Disease in the UK in January 2023, Clade I remains a HCID. The HSE said the detection of Clade I mpox in Ireland was “not unexpected”, as small numbers of cases have been recorded in Europe and other countries outside of Africa. “I would like to reassure the public that the risk to the Irish population remains low,” said Dr Éamonn O’Moore, director of national health protection with the HSE. “Close contacts are being contacted by the local public health team. They have been given appropriate advice to reduce the risk of any potential spread and will be followed up with until there is no longer any risk of developing infection. “As part of our public health work we are also investigating how the individual acquired the infection,” he added. “The HSE is fully prepared to respond to this case as work has been ongoing since August 2024. We have been working alongside international partners and National Health Protection has been monitoring mpox closely since the outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo first emerged.” People who recently returned from a country where mpox is circulating in the community are advised to look out for symptoms for three weeks, and seek medical advice if they have any concerns. Common symptoms include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions, which can last for between two and four weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. Anyone who develops these symptoms should self-isolate and contact their doctor, according to the HSE. “People who have received two doses of the mpox vaccine or who have previously had mpox infection are considered to have protection against severe illness caused by Clade I mpox. At this time, booster vaccination is not recommended,” explained Dr Derval Igoe, consultant in public health medicine. “Close contacts of the case are being contacted directly by HSE public health teams. Any close contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any additional care if they have symptoms or test positive.”
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