A £3.1 million UK government package to tackle mpox will “ultimately benefit us all”, the Africa minister has said.
On a visit to the Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lord Collins of Highbury pledged money to prevent the spread of the disease, which was previously known as monkeypox.
The UK is preparing for potential cases of the new strain of mpox after Europe recorded its first case of the more deadly variant last week in Sweden.
Health officials said plans are under way to tackle a possible outbreak in the country ensuring healthcare workers are aware of the symptoms and that rapid tests are available.
But European health authorities have ruled out imposing border controls as the risk of a global virus outbreak is still considered “low”.
Thailand reported a suspected first case of a new, more dangerous strain of mpox in a European traveller.
In Argentina, a cargo ship was quarantined over the first suspected case of mpox on the vessel, after one of its crew members showed “cyst-like skin lesions, the health ministry said.
A public health emergency was declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) over a new outbreak of mpox in several African nations, with at least three cases now reported outside of the continent.
Key Points
- Thailand detects first suspected case in European man
- UK pledges £3.1m for Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Cargo ship quarantined in Argentina over suspected case
- UK health chiefs making plans for potential mpox virus cases
- Mpox is not the new COVID, says WHO official
Pakistan detects first case of new clade 2 mpox variant
16:00
Salma Ouaguira
Pakistan has detected one case of clade 2 mpox variant, the country’s ministry of health confirmed.
But the country claimed there have been no cases of the clade 1b strain, which triggered global concern for its rapid spread.
The mpox clade 1b variant is associated with severe clinical symptoms and higher mortality rate compared to the clade 2.
Spokesman for the ministry of national health services Sajid Hussain Shah said: “As of now, there have been no reported cases of clade 1 in Pakistan.”
Congo expects to receive first mpox vaccine by next week
15:30
Salma Ouaguira
Democratic Republic of the Congo hopes to receive its first mpox vaccines by next week, the Congolese health minister said.
The US and Japan are reportedly set to deploy supplies of mpox vaccines and needles in cooperation with the World Health Organisation and other partners.
Japanese KM Biologics, one of the manufacturers, claimed the country is holding a stockpile to be sent to the affected African areas.
Global vaccine group Gavi also confirmed last week they have prepared up to $500 million (£400 million) to spend on sending the shots.
In a news conference on Monday, health minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba said: “We’ve just finished discussions with USAID and the U.S. government. I hope that by next week we’ll be able to see the vaccines arrive.”
EU rules out mpox border controls amid WHO warning
15:00
Salma Ouaguira
European health authorities have ruled out imposing border controls as the risk of a global mpox outbreak is still considered “low”.
The Health Security Committee (HSC) confirmed that there should not be “a public health emergency in Europe as things stand”.
A spokesperson added: “The HSC members agreed on the importance of a closely coordinated approach and the need to continue monitoring the situation very closely.”
Vaccination recommendations are kept for certain groups at more risk but the commission has ruled out extending the rollout for the general public for now.
It comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared outbreaks in Africa a global emergency.
Congo, other African countries to start mpox vaccinations in a few days, health official says
14:30
Salma Ouaguira
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African countries will start vaccinating against the viral infection mpox in a few days if everything is in place, the director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.
“We didn’t start vaccinations yet. We’ll start in a few days, if we are sure that everything is in place. End of next week vaccines will start to arrive in DRC and other countries,” Jean Kaseya told reporters.
France declares ‘maximum state of vigilance’ over possible mpox outbreak
14:00
Salma Ouaguira
In the wake of the resurgence of mpox, France has announced that is ready to “test and vaccinate patients”.
The country has been put on “maximum state of vigilance” as the Institute Pasteur examines people who have developed symptoms similar to Mpox.
In a statement, the health institute said: “The medical center of the Institut Pasteur, specialised in travel medicine, has also triggered its internal protocol to test patients with symptoms suggestive of mpox in optimal safety conditions.”
It comes after Swedish health officials announced that there has been one confirmed case of clade 1b on Thursday.
The country’s public health agency said a patient sought healthcare in Stockholm and is understood to have been infected during a visit to Africa.
UK pledges £3.1m for Democratic Republic of the Congo in bid to contain mpox
13:58
Salma Ouaguira
A £3.1 million UK Government package to tackle mpox will “ultimately benefit us all”, the Africa minister has said.
On a visit to the Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lord Collins of Highbury pledged money to prevent the spread of the disease, which was previously known as monkeypox.
Lord Collins said on his visit to Kinshasa: “Working together with our partners and using the expertise and dedication of Congolese scientists, including those at the world-leading research centre I have visited in DRC, our support will play an important role in ensuring global health security for all.
“By protecting the health and wellbeing of communities across DRC, and by helping contain these outbreaks, we reduce the risk of diseases spreading further afield. This will ultimately benefit us all.”
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the cash package will benefit more than 4.4 million people in already-affected communities, as part of a partnership with Unicef.
How far has monkeypox or mpox spread?
13:30
Salma Ouaguira
More than 17,000 cases have now been confirmed across the continent, with the WHO saying the outbreak is of “international concern”.
The public health emergency was declared by the group’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The outbreak comes as a new strain is identified, named clade 1, said to be spreading mainly through sexual networks. WHO says it has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – all countries that have never reported cases of mpox before.
One case of this new strain has now been detected in Sweden, the country’s public health agency has confirmed. They say the person, who is now in isolation, had contracted it during a stay in an African country where other cases have been reported.
Health officials in Thailand also said on Wednesday that they were seeking to determine the strain of an mpox case in a European man who arrived from Africa the previous week.
Both the Philippines and Pakistan reported that mpox cases they had been testing had been confirmed to be the previous variant already circulating in many countries and not the new clade 1 strain which is of concern to the WHO.
Here is a map of all mpox cases, of every strain, that have been confirmed around the world since the start of 2024:
13:00
Salma Ouaguira
Bavarian Nordic to boost mpox vaccine production to tackle outbreak
12:40
Salma Ouaguira
Danish biotech firm Bavarian Nordic could ramp up production of its mpox vaccine even before having orders lined up, based on the outcome of talks this week with the World Health Organisation, the company’s CEO told Reuters.
Chief Executive Officer Paul Chaplin said in an interview that the company urgently needs to make the call on whether to manufacture “at risk” - or without signed contracts - because diverting or switching manufacturing capacity from its other vaccines to mpox will take time.
In order to make that decision, Bavarian Nordic “would need to be reasonably convinced that those orders would be coming through”, Chaplin said.
“We’ll have to wait and see how the discussions develop this week and we’ll make a decision later this week what we’re doing.”
He said the discussions were with the WHO, the global vaccine group Gavi, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and with individual governments in Africa and elsewhere.
It comes as the company said on Saturday it has informed the Africa CDC that it could manufacture 10 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2025, and could supply up to 2 million doses this year.
But the 2 million doses by year-end would not be possible unless Bavarian Nordic “changes gears” to start producing more of its mpox vaccine now, instead of its other vaccines, Chaplin said: “Every week we don’t switch over, we lose some of that capacity.”
Travellers urged to get mpox vaccine before going to impacted areas of Africa
12:20
Salma Ouaguira
People travelling to areas affected by the recent mpox outbreak in Africa have been urged to get vaccinated by the EU’s public health body.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) updated its advice to people going to “epidemic areas” to “consult their healthcare provider or travel health clinic regarding eligibility for vaccination against mpox”.
The ECDC said it is “highly likely” that Europe will have “more imported cases of mpox caused by the clade 1 virus currently circulating in Africa”.
Read the full story below:
Argentina suspects first case of mpox as cargo ship quarantined
12:00
Salma Ouaguira
Argentina quarantined a cargo ship over the first suspected case of mpox on the vessel, as an outbreak of a new fast-spreading variant triggered a global public health alert.
The Liberian-flagged ship raised the alert after one of its crew members of Indian nationality showed “cyst-like skin lesions predominantly on the chest and face”, the health ministry said.
The health authorities in the country have activated a public emergency protocol and quarantined the ship with crew members not allowed to deboard.
Read more here:
Why has the WHO declared a global emergency?
11:40
Salma Ouaguira
Mpox was first detected in humans in the DRC in 1970 and is considered endemic to countries in Central and West Africa.
However, WHO said the recent surge of cases in DRC and its spread to neighbouring countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) on Wednesday.
According to WHO, mpox has been reported in DRC for more than 10 years, with the number of cases increasing steadily over the period.
So far in 2024, there have been more than 15,600 cases of mpox and 537 deaths, which the WHO said exceeds last year’s total.
There have also been 100 lab-confirmed cases of clade 1b in four countries neighbouring the DRC that have not reported mpox before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Jersey’s health chiefs claim there is ‘no significant cause for concern’
11:20
Salma Ouaguira
Jersey’s health chiefs have claimed there is “no significant cause for concern” for mpox in the island after the first case was confirmed in Sweden.
Dr Rajesh Hembrom, island clinical lead and consultant for integrated sexual health, HIV and viral hepatitis, said: “There is no significant cause for concern at this stage but the situation is being monitored closely.
“Jersey currently has adequate stocks of the vaccine, and we are awaiting further guidance from the UK Health Security Agency. We expect this in the coming days.”
At least 500 people have died during the initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo so far.
Pictured: Argentinian authorities stop cargo ship over suspected mpox case
15:53
Salma Ouaguira
What are the Monkeypox symptoms?
11:00
Salma Ouaguira
Mpox can cause a range of symptoms with some people experiencing less severe signs and others developing more serious illness.
According to the World Health Organisation, common symptoms include a rash which may last for two to four weeks.
Some adults can experience fever, headache, muscle aches, back, pain, low energy and swollen glands.
Patients can develop lymph nodes that look like blisters or sores and can appear in the face, palms of th hands, soles of the feet, groin and genital areas.
Severe mpox cases include larger lesions and bacterial infections of the skin, blood and lungs.
Pictured: Congolese community staff inform locals about mpox in Wenga Health Centre
10:40
Salma Ouaguira
One dead in Ivory Coast after catching mpox
10:20
Salma Ouaguira
Health officials in Ivory Coast have reported at least 28 cases of mpox with one person reported dead from the virus that has killed hundreds in Congo.
The recent outbreak has risen from six confirmed cases on 1 August.
The National Public Hygiene Institute (INHP) declared “28 confirmed cases including one death” across the country as of Tuesday.
10:00
Salma Ouaguira
France promises to donate 100,000 mpox vaccines
09:40
Salma Ouaguira
France has promised to donate 100,000 mpox jabs to countries affected by the mpox outbreak.
Prime minister Gabriel Attal said the country would deploy the vaccines through the European Union.
It comes as the World Health Organisation called the international community to boost production and urged countries to prioritise vaccination campaigns.
Hundreds of vaccination sites have been set out as a response of a potential outbreak in France.
Mr Attal said on X: “Our health system is on high alert. We are ready to face all scenarios and all risks. As I announced on Friday, travelers going to or returning from areas where the virus is circulating are now systematically informed about the precautionary measures to adopt.
“232 vaccination sites are already open across the territory. And many more will be available. We aim to be ready to face all scenarios and all risks.”
J'ai tenu hier, comme je l'avais annoncé vendredi dernier, un point de situation sur l'épidémie de #mpox.
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) August 20, 2024
Notre système de santé est en état de vigilance maximale. Nous nous tenons prêts à faire face à tous les scénarios et à tous les risques.
Comme je l’ai annoncé vendredi,…
Mpox not new Covid and can be stabbed, expert says
09:20
Salma Ouaguira
A World Health Organisation official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to control its spread.
“We can and must tackle mpox together,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, during a UN media briefing.
“So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world,” he added.
The clade 1b variety has caused global concern because it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact.
Kluge said that the focus on the new clade 1 strain will also help in the fight against the less severe clade 2 variety that has spreading globally since 2022, allowing Europe to improve its response through better health advice and surveillance.
About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month, added Kluge.
Mpox transmits through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike previous global pandemics such as COVID-19 there is no evidence it spreads easily through the air.
Health authorities need to be on alert and flexible in case there are new, more transmissible clades or ones that change their transmission route, but there are no recommendations for people to wear masks, said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
Pictured: Mpox hits refugees in internal displaced camps in Mudja, Congo
09:00
Salma Ouaguira
What is mpox? What you need to know about the latest public health emergency
08:40
Salma Ouaguira
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared mpox a global health emergency in response to the growing number of cases both in Africa and other continents.
Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop characteristic lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.
Here’s everything you need to know:
How did the UK deal with the last outbreak?
08:10
Salma Ouaguira
Before the spring of 2022, cases in the UK were usually associated with travel to or from West or Central Africa.
However, in May of that year sustained transmission of the virus was identified in the UK, leading to a large outbreak mostly in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with other men.
A vaccination programme was launched in the UK in the summer of 2022 and closed the following July.
According to the UKHSA, there were 3,732 confirmed and highly probable mpox cases reported in the UK up to December 31, 2022. In 2023 and up to July 31 this year, 286 cases were reported.
Of these, 269 were in England – with 116 patients presumed to have caught the virus in the UK and 82 outside of the country.
Cargo ship quarantined in Argentina over suspected case of mpox onboard
07:50
Salma Ouaguira
Argentine authorities quarantined a cargo ship in the Paraná River near the inland grains port of Rosario over a suspected case of mpox onboard
The cargo, from Brasil, was stopped after officials detected one of the crew members had developed symptoms similar to the virus.
Fernando Morales, president of industry body the Argentine Naval League, said that a Liberian-flagged ship had been ordered to drop anchor in the river while a test on a crew member was carried out.
“A crew member with fever and weakness was taken to a hospital in San Nicolas. There they carried out some tests and they say that in principle it could be mpox,” Morales said, adding that the diagnosis was not yet confirmed.
Thailand detects first mpox case in European traveller from Africa
07:18
Salma Ouaguira
Thailand has detected an mpox case in a European man who arrived from Africa last week and is awaiting test results to determine the strain, a disease control official said.
Thai authorities were treating the case as if it were the Clade 1 form of mpox, as the person had arrived on 14 August from an African country where it was spreading, Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, told Reuters.
African officials cal for solidarity not ‘unfair’ travel bans
07:14
Salma Ouaguira
African health officials have called the international community not to impose travel bans on countries dealing with an outbreak of mpox.
Africa CDC’s head Jean Kaseya said: “Don’t punish Africa. We hear from here and there that you want to apply travel ban, we need solidarity, we need you to provide appropriate support, this vaccine is expensive.
“I clearly request our partners to stop thinking about travel bans against Africa, that will bring us back to the unfair treatment from the Covid period and not help the world to move forward.”
Mr Kaseya hoped vaccines can coon arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the outbreak is believed to have originated from.
He added there had been collaboration between countries and health organisations but has warned community-level testing centres are not enough.
Pakistan admits it cannot find mpox patient as tighter screening to be introduced at airports
07:00
Salma Ouaguira
Pakistan says it is introducing new screening at airports after confirming at least one case of mpox infection, days after the World Health Organisation declared a global emergency over the virus.
Health officials are concerned about a new deadlier strain of the virus, formerly known as monkeypox, that has spread through several African countries.
The case reported in Pakistan involves a patient who had recently returned from a Gulf country. Pakistan’s health ministry said it had yet to determine the strain of the virus.
Read the full story below:
Doctor explains why mpox is spreading quickly as WHO declares global emergency
06:30
Salma Ouaguira
People urged to get vaccine before travelling to impacted areas of Africa
06:00
Salma Ouaguira
Congo's humanitarian crisis helped mpox spiral again into a global health emergency
05:30
Salma Ouaguira
New deadly mpox strain likely to be in UK already, says diseases expert
05:00
Salma Ouaguira
A new, more deadly strain of mpox sweeping the world is highly likely to already be in the UK, a specialist in infectious diseases has warned.
Professor Paul Hunter said mpox, which used to be called monkeypox, can spread very quickly between countries because it is a sexually transmitted infection.
And he urged people at risk to get vaccinated against it or cut the number of sexual partners they have.
Read the full story below:
Now that mpox is a global health emergency, will it trigger another pandemic?
04:30
Salma Ouaguira
Mpox 2024 mapped: All the countries where cases of the new strain have been confirmed
04:00
Salma Ouaguira
A public health emergency has been declared by the World Health Organisation over a new outbreak of mpox in several African nations, with at least three cases now reported outside of the continent.
Formerly known as monkeypox, the infection has been on the rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which accounts for 96 per cent of all cases in Africa.
More than 17,000 cases have now been confirmed across the continent, with the WHO saying the outbreak is of “international concern”.
The public health emergency was declared by the group’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The outbreak comes as a new strain is identified, named clade 1, said to be spreading mainly through sexual networks. WHO says it has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – all countries that have never reported cases of mpox before.
Read the full story below:
What is mpox and what does the WHO emergency declaration mean?
03:30
Salma Ouaguira
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared mpox a global health emergency in response to the growing number of cases both in Africa and other continents.
Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop characteristic lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.
What are the symptoms of mpox and how does it spread?
03:00
Salma Ouaguira
Mpox is passed on through close physical contact, including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or holding hands.
The NHS said: “Mpox can be passed on from person to person through any close physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or holding hands), touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox, the coughs or sneezes of a person with mpox when they’re close to you.
“If you get infected with mpox, it usually takes between 5 and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear.”
The first symptoms include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Back ache
- Swollen glands
- Shivering (chills)
- Exhaustion
- Joint pain
UK mpox outbreak of 2022: Where cases started and how infection spread to 3,000 people
02:30
Salma Ouaguira
What do UK health officials say?
02:00
Salma Ouaguira
Before the case in Sweden was announced, and following the declaration of clade 1b as a global emergency by the WHO, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was on alert for any cases of the virus.
Officials said there are currently no cases in the UK and the risk to the population is low.
However, the UK is preparing for any potential cases by ensuring clinicians are aware of mpox and able to recognise cases promptly.
Rapid testing is also being made available, while protocols are being developed for the safe care of potential patients to prevent transmission.
Philippines reports first mpox case after global health warning
01:30
Salma Ouaguira
The Philippines has detected its first case of mpox since the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued its highest alert over the virus last week.
It is the first reported case since December last year, Manila’s health department said on Monday, adding that it was awaiting test results before being able to determine the strain.
Read the full story below:
All the places where cases of clade 1 have now been confirmed
15:45
Salma Ouaguira
Mpox is not the new COVID, says WHO official
01:00
Salma Ouaguira
A World Health Organization official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to control its spread.
“We can and must tackle mpox together,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, during a UN media briefing.
“So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world,” he added.
The clade 1b variety has caused global concern because it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact.
Kluge said that the focus on the new clade 1 strain will also help in the fight against the less severe clade 2 variety that has spreading globally since 2022, allowing Europe to improve its response through better health advice and surveillance.
About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month, added Kluge.
Mpox transmits through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike previous global pandemics such as COVID-19 there is no evidence it spreads easily through the air.
Health authorities need to be on alert and flexible in case there are new, more transmissible clades or ones that change their transmission route, but there are no recommendations for people to wear masks, said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
World Health Organization moves to stress that mpox is not ‘the new Covid’
Wednesday 21 August 2024 00:30
Salma Ouaguira
A World Health Organization (WHO) official has stressed that mpox is not the new COVID.
The clarification comes as authorities say they know how to control its spread regardless of whether it is the new or old strain.
“We can and must tackle mpox together,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, in a media briefing.
Read the full story here:
Pictured: Congolese health workers at the mpox treatment centre in Goma
Wednesday 21 August 2024 00:00
Salma Ouaguira
Spain announces control measures after four mpox cases confirmed
Tuesday 20 August 2024 23:30
Salma Ouaguira
Spain has step up health controls after four cases of mpox were confirmed of the deadly variant.
Spanish health minister Monica García said in a post: “The EU Health and Safety Committee met today, followed by various units of the General State Administration involved in the response to Mpox. In general, the EU’s recommendation is clear: monitor, vaccinate and work with the community.
“In Spain, 4 new cases have been reported in the last 10 days, which would bring the total number of cases to 268 for the whole of 2024.”
The set of measures include effective surveillance, testing and contact tracing to detect cases early.
It comes as the country ramped up major controls at airports to stop the spread of the virus in Europe.
The government said it will work with airport authorities and airlines to increase information for people traveling to the territory.
Pictured: Hygiene promoters hold awareness campaigns for the internally displaced in Nyiragongo
Tuesday 20 August 2024 23:00
Salma Ouaguira
