The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed optimism on Friday that mpox outbreaks in Africa could be controlled within the next six months. He announced that the WHO’s first shipment of vaccines is expected to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) within days.
Africa has so far received only a small portion of the vaccines needed to curb the spread of the virus, particularly in Congo, which has been hit hardest with over 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths.
“With strong government leadership and close collaboration with partners, we believe we can halt these outbreaks in the next six months,” Tedros said during a press briefing.
While mpox infections have surged in recent weeks, Tedros noted that the death toll has remained relatively low. He also mentioned that 258 cases of a new strain of mpox have been identified in Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Sweden, and Thailand.
Earlier this month, the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency, aiming to galvanize an international response to a disease that has largely gone unnoticed in the region for years, including in Nigeria. In May, scientists detected a new variant of the virus in Congo, which they believe may be spreading more easily.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is related to smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches. In severe cases, painful sores and blisters can develop on the face, chest, hands, and genitals. The virus is primarily spread through close skin-to-skin contact.
The WHO estimates that approximately 230,000 vaccine doses could be sent “imminently” to Congo and other affected regions. The organization is also working on public education campaigns to raise awareness about how to prevent the spread of mpox in countries experiencing outbreaks.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Diseases, stated that the agency is striving to accelerate vaccine access for the affected countries, despite the limited global supply.
Scientists have cautioned that a better understanding of how mpox spreads in Africa is essential to determine the most effective use of the vaccines.
Earlier this week, the head of Africa’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that the continent is expecting around 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines from donors, including the United States and the European Union. This amount represents less than 15% of the doses needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo.