What a surprise NOT

Sweden first in the western world with the new monkey pox variant
Published 16 August 2024 at 08.06
Foreign. A person who sought care in Region Stockholm has been found to have monkeypox ("mpox" caused by the virus variant clade I. The case is the first caused by this variant to be diagnosed outside the African continent.

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- It concerns a person who has been infected during a stay in a part of Africa where the spread of mpox clade I is ongoing. The person in Sweden who has been confirmed to be infected has received care and rules of conduct, says Magnus Gisslén, state epidemiologist at the Public Health Authority.

The World Health Organization WHO has just classified the spread of clade I monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries as an international threat to human health.

Clade I causes the same basic disease of mpox as clade IIb, the variant that previously spread among homosexuals in Sweden, but is likely linked to a higher risk of more severe course and higher mortality.

The previous global outbreak with the virus variant clade IIb was mainly spread via sexual contacts, while clade I is now spread to a greater extent through other contact routes – mainly close contacts within the household and then often to children.

However, the WHO states that the new variant clade 1b, which is now spreading in Africa, also "appears to spread mainly via sexual networks".

Monkeypox is classified as a public health disease, which means that there is preparedness for infection control measures such as infection tracking, testing and rules of conduct. Sweden also has access to vaccines and antiviral drugs.

- This case does not cause any further infection control measures in itself, but we take the outbreak of mpox clade I very seriously. We follow it closely and continuously assess whether new measures are needed, says Magnus Gisslén.

About 300 cases of mpox have previously been found in Sweden, all linked to the global outbreak of mpox caused by the clade IIb virus variant.

And people wonder why the UK has gone to hell


The new rules: Ask men if they're pregnant
Published August 16, 2024 at 12:58 p.m
Foreign. New guidelines from the British NHS, which state that even men must be asked if they are pregnant before X-ray examinations, have caused uproar and debate in the UK.

The reason for the guidelines is stated to be to avoid exposing unborn children to harmful radiation. This after a pregnant woman who claimed to be a man underwent a CT scan without being asked about pregnancy.

However, the guidelines, which aim not to make assumptions about someone's "gender identity", have been met with criticism and irritation. According to The Telegraph, some men have become so upset that they have left patient appointments, while women have reacted emotionally to pressing fertility issues.

Parents are also said to have been annoyed that their children were asked what their "pronouns" were.

An x-ray nurse expresses concern that the outrage the guidelines may cause risks causing patients to forego important examinations.

Louise Irvine, GP, also questions the rules.

"Given that it is impossible for any of the male sex to get pregnant, there is no reason to ask male people if they are pregnant," she told the Telegraph.