GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization yesterday launched a six-month plan to stop the spread of monkeypox, increasing staffing in countries and improving surveillance, prevention and response. The WHO estimated that the plan, which will run from September to February next year, will require $135 million and will seek to improve access to vaccines, especially in African countries most affected by the recent outbreak.
“The monkeypox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled and can be stopped,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
The agency is “significantly increasing” its staff in the affected countries, he added. The WHO classified the current monkeypox outbreak as a global health emergency in mid-August.
Also on Monday, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Germany will donate 100,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine to affected countries, drawn from its military reserves, the German news agency dpa reported.
On Tuesday of last week, Congo — the worst-affected country — reported more than 1,000 cases of monkeypox in the previous week.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that as of Thursday, more than 21,300 possible or confirmed cases and 590 deaths from monkeypox had been reported this year in 12 African countries.
Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as general smallpox, but usually causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. It is usually spread through human contact, including sexual relations. Those who suffer from a more severe case could suffer injuries to the face, hands, chest and genitals.
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2024-10-06 07:09:31
