It is almost three years since the UK took the last country off its ‘red list’ banning travel over the spread of Covid-19, but now the spread of mpox is sparking concerns there could again be some travel restrictions.
Spain is said to be considering introducing some form of monitoring over the spread of the illness, which is more serious than a previous strain which caused concern in 2022.
Carlos Novillo, Madrid’s head of the environment, said that Spain’s Ministry of Health should ‘take preventive measures, especially in Barajas, an important airport that registers a large flow of travellers daily instead of just being reactive,’ Europa Press reported.
Authorities are set to meet tomorrow to decide on their approach.
Potential responses could include health screening on arrival and/or closely monitoring those arriving from areas most affected, such as some states in Africa.
The UK has not yet implemented controls for the spread of clade 1 of mpox, the variety causing concern.