World Health Organization meets for mpox

There is a concerning rise in mpox virus cases in Africa. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that it has declared a "public health emergency" across the continent. The World Health Organization (WHO) will decide today whether to declare an international emergency due to the mpox outbreak.

Since the beginning of 2024, 15 thousand mpox cases have been detected in Africa, and it has been reported that 461 people have lost their lives. It was stated that the majority of those who died were children living in Congo.

EMERGENCY DECLARATION AND VACCINE CONCERNS

Experts state that declaring an emergency will provide access to more resources in the fight against the disease, while insufficient vaccine stocks are raising concerns. The CDC announced last week that 10 million dollars in funding had been secured from the African Union to combat the outbreak and that 3 million doses of vaccine are planned to be procured for this year.

However, it is estimated that only 65 thousand doses of vaccine can be delivered to Congo, where the disease is most common, in the short term. The country's healthcare system is currently under pressure from measles and cholera outbreaks.

HISTORY AND EFFECTS OF THE VIRUS

The mpox virus was first discovered in Congo in 1970. The course of the disease, which is estimated to have caused the deaths of 1,456 people worldwide since January 2022, is being closely monitored by international health authorities. US State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated that the situation in Congo, in particular, is being followed carefully.

In an information note dated August 12 on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Health's General Directorate of Border and Coastal Health, it is noted that the mpox disease causes symptoms such as fever, joint pain, and widespread rash.

News Source: 12punto