Swiss confirm first case of monkeypox

The Federal Office of Public Health is based in Bern Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

Switzerland has detected its first case of monkeypox in canton Bern, health officials said on Saturday evening.

The case has been confirmed by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) in a tweet.

“Currently, an accumulation of monkeypox infections is observed in Europe and North America. A first case has also been confirmed in Switzerland (Canton Bern),” it said.

#AffenpockenExternal link #monkeypoxExternal link Aktuell wird in Europa und Nordamerika eine Häufung von Affenpockeninfektionen festgestellt. Ein erster Fall wurde auch in der Schweiz (Kanton Bern) bestätigt.

— BAG – OFSP – UFSP (@BAG_OFSP_UFSP) May 21, 2022External link

As far as it is known, the person in the canton of Bern contracted the virus abroad. The infected person is receiving outpatient treatment and is in isolation at home, the canton said in a statementExternal link on Saturday. All contact persons have been informed through contact tracing.

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease transmissible to humans from animals, mainly rodents. The course of the disease is usually mild. There has been an unusual cluster of cases of monkeypox in humans in several European countries and in the United States since the beginning of May. Swiss neighbours Germany and France have both reported cases.

The FOPH has published an information pageExternal link on monkeypox, outlining symptoms and treatments.

“The FOPH is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) and WHO (World Health Organization),” it said on the page.