Published on 05/09/2024
Democratic Republic of Congo received on Thursday its first batch of mpox vaccines, which health authorities hope will help curb an outbreak that has prompted a U.N. declaration of a global public health emergency.
Congo is the epicentre of the outbreak, which has spread to neighbouring countries and elsewhere, but a lack of vaccines in Africa has hampered efforts to stop the spread of the sometimes deadly disease.
A plane carrying doses manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the European Union touched down in the capital Kinshasa around 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT) according to sources.
This first delivery amounts to 99,000 doses and a further delivery on Saturday will take the total to 200,000 doses, said Laurent Muschel, the head of the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).
The recent outbreak led to a global emergency declaration by the World Health Organization on August 14.
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In Congo, there have been over 18,000 suspected cases and 629 fatalities.
Mpox, or Monkeypox, is related to Smallpox but usually presents with milder symptoms such as fever, headaches, and body aches.
In more severe instances, individuals may experience painful sores and blisters on the face, chest, hands, and genitals.
The virus is primarily transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact.
The WHO has estimated that around 230,000 vaccines could be dispatched “imminently” to Congo and other affected areas.
Additionally, the organization is developing educational campaigns to inform people on how to prevent the spread of mpox in regions experiencing outbreaks.