Two cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Berlin. This was announced by the Senate Department for Health on Saturday. The condition of the two patients is stable.

Contact persons are currently being investigated. Sequencing should reveal whether it is the West or Central African strain of the virus. “It can be assumed that further infections may be registered in the next few days.”

Health Senator Ulrike Gote (Greens) said there was no reason to panic, but reason to be cautious, as many scientific findings about the disease were still preliminary. “However, experts assume that we do not have to fear a new pandemic. But we now have to act quickly and consistently to identify and contain cases of infection.”

On Friday there was the first confirmation of a case of monkeypox in Germany. According to the Bavarian Ministry of Health, it was about a 26-year-old from Brazil who had traveled from Portugal to Munich via Spain. The monkeypox virus usually causes only very mild symptoms, but can also have severe courses.