A recent World Health Organization report reveals nearly 30,000 suspected mpox cases in Africa since the beginning of the year, primarily concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Burundi. The report also indicates over 800 deaths linked to suspected mpox during this period.
Following the declaration of a public health emergency by the WHO’s director general, this outbreak represents the organization’s highest alert level.
Outside Africa, a few cases have been confirmed in countries such as Sweden and Pakistan. Although the virus was first identified decades ago, it has evolved, making human-to-human transmission more efficient.
Vaccination efforts against the virus are set to begin in the Democratic Republic of Congo on October 2nd.