Monkey pox occurs mainly in tropical rainforests in central and western Africa.
There are smaller local outbreaks at regular intervals, according to Rolf Gustafson.
- Then it may be about a dozen or a hundred cases that slowly subside, he says.
When the infection is found in other places, there are usually direct travel connections to the region, but during the spring, an unusual number of cases have been found in Europe.
The infection has also been discovered in the United States, and on Thursday, Canadian authorities announced that 17 cases had been found in Montreal.
The development has raised concerns about large-scale outbreaks, but according to Rolf Gustafson, the risk of such outbreaks is low.
Compared with covid-19, the disease is considered to be less contagious, as close contact is required for it to be transmitted.
- It is very difficult to believe that this will be an outbreak.
We will certainly find some further cases in Sweden, but I do not think there will be an epidemic in any way.
There is nothing to suggest that at present, says Gustafson.
What does the disease picture look like for the person who is infected? Hear Rolf Gustafson about the symptoms in the clip.