Six laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox in Berlin

An electron micrograph from 2003 shows mature, oval monkeypox viruses (l) and spherical immature virions (r) from a human skin sample.

As of noon on Friday, a total of six cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the laboratory in Berlin.

This was announced by a spokesperson for the Senate Department for Science, Health, Care and Equality. The first cases became known in the capital on the weekend. Experts believe that further infections are to be expected. On Friday, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported a total of 16 monkeypox cases from six German states.

Transmission through close physical contact

The RKI assumes that transmission is mainly through close physical contact. According to experts, the fact that cases are currently mainly known among men who have sex with men could be related to several international events at which infections occurred. The RKI emphasises: "The risk of contracting monkeypox is not limited to sexually active people or men who have sex with men." The overall risk from the disease is considered by health authorities to be moderate for people with multiple sexual partners and low for the wider population.