WHO Warns of Resurgent Mpox Outbreak in Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened an emergency meeting to address a surge in mpox cases, particularly in African countries.
The highly infectious variant of the virus has sparked serious concerns among global health experts.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the urgent meeting on Wednesday, expressing deep concern over the rapid spread of the disease.
The organization has allocated $1 million from its emergency fund to combat the outbreak.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported a significant increase in mpox cases across ten African nations, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) bearing the brunt of the epidemic.
Alarmingly, children are disproportionately affected, accounting for a majority of cases and deaths.
A new, more deadly variant of the virus identified in the DRC earlier this year has heightened fears of a wider outbreak. This strain exhibits a higher fatality rate and is believed to spread more easily among humans.
The WHO has emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated global response to contain the mpox outbreak, particularly in Africa where access to vaccines and treatments remains limited.
The organization has called for immediate action to prevent the disease from spreading further.
Source: AP
