Around three weeks after monkeypox was first detected in Germany, the number of infections recorded by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) rose to 113. “All the cases in Germany reported to the RKI are men,” said a spokeswoman for the institute on Wednesday on request. On Tuesday, the RKI was aware of 80 cases nationwide.
A large part of the reported infections can be traced back to the capital: As of Tuesday evening, the Berlin health administration had 72 people affected, 13 of whom were being treated in the hospital. According to previous data, Germany seems to be one of the European countries with a particularly large number of virus detections, alongside countries such as Great Britain, Spain and Portugal.
Monkeypox is considered a less serious disease compared to smallpox, which has been eradicated since 1980. According to the RKI, the pathogen is usually transmitted from person to person through close physical contact. Experts had warned of the virus spreading further, for example at upcoming festivals and parties.
