US sends 50,000 doses of mpox vaccine to Congo: Can the outbreak be prevented?

The US has sent 50,000 doses of vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to be used against the mpox virus.

According to reports in the US press, the vaccines sent by the US have been delivered to DRC officials.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 50,000 doses of the mpox vaccine have reached the country, which is the most affected by the mpox virus outbreak and where hundreds of people have lost their lives.

Since the beginning of this year, approximately 5,000 confirmed cases of mpox have been detected in the DRC, and more than 620 people have lost their lives due to the virus.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MPOX?

Initial symptoms can appear 5 to 21 days after contracting the virus. The virus generally causes high fever, headache, back and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, chills, shivering, and skin blisters similar to chickenpox.

The mpox virus is transmitted from rodents such as mice and squirrels or from infected individuals. Touching the body rashes caused by the virus, using clothing, bed sheets, towels, and similar items contaminated with these rashes, and coming into contact with body fluids are among the most important causes of transmission.

There is no specific treatment method for the disease, and it is treated with antiviral drugs. The majority of cases experience the disease mildly and recover within a few weeks.

The WHO changed the name "monkeypox" to 'mpox' in 2022 due to concerns about racism and discrimination.

The mpox virus was declared a 'public health emergency of international concern' by the WHO on August 14.