By The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to receive its first batch of mpox vaccines next week from the United States, Health Minister Roger Kamba announced Monday. This development comes days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency.
Kamba, speaking to journalists, said both the U.S. and Japan have offered to donate vaccines. He did not specify the number of doses expected from the U.S. or the arrival date for Japan’s contribution. Congo currently requires 3 million vaccine doses to address its outbreak.
The WHO has reported over 17,000 mpox cases and more than 500 deaths globally this year. Congo accounts for over 96% of all cases and deaths, with its health system struggling to contain the outbreak across the country’s vast territory and poor infrastructure.
Children under 15 represent more than 70% of the cases and 85% of deaths in Congo, according to WHO data. The outbreak has affected both children and adults in more than a dozen African countries.
Scientists are monitoring a new form of the mpox virus in Congo that may be more transmissible. Sweden recently reported its first case of this new version, though officials there stated the risk to the general public was “very low.”
This new form presents milder symptoms and genital lesions, making detection more challenging. Mpox typically requires close, skin-to-skin contact to spread and is not airborne.
The WHO recently identified mpox for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. All these outbreaks are linked to the epidemic in Congo.
Vaccine availability remains limited across the African continent. The global response to the mpox outbreak in Africa contrasts with the swift action taken when cases appeared in Europe and North America last year.
As Congo prepares to receive its first vaccine doses, health officials hope to curb the spread of the virus and prevent further casualties. The effectiveness of the vaccination campaign will be closely monitored as it unfolds in the coming weeks.
AP
