1% of People in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be Protected From Mpox

The European CDC recently reported there have been no significant changes in the global circulation of monkeypox virus (MPXV) clade I and clade II during the past week.

In 2024, over 34,000 confirmed and suspected mpox cases due to MPXV clade I and clade II, including over 850 deaths, have been reported from Africa.

To slow the spreading of clade I, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced today vaccination efforts to halt the spread of mpox disease.

The DRC received 265,000 doses of the MVA-BN (Bavarian Nordic A/S, JYNNEOS®) vaccine donated by the European CCommission'sHealth Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the United States Government.

Vaccinations will be launched in the eastern North Kivu province on October 5, 2024, and will prioritize health workers and frontline responders, contacts of confirmed cases, contacts of those contacts, and other at-risk groups.

Subsequently, the vaccination will be rolled out in eleven of the most affected health zones in Equateur, North Kivu, Sankuru, South Kivu, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshopo provinces.

With a population of about 100 million and assuming two doses per person, 130,000, or 1% of the people in the DRC, can be better protected from mpox.

"The rollout of the vaccine marks an important step in limiting the spread of the virus and ensuring the safety of families and communities,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a WHO press release.

Person-to-person transmission of the MPXV has occurred during this outbreak, including through sexual contact, day-to-day household contact, and within the healthcare setting.

Mpox vaccination is now recommended for most people visiting outbreak areas, says the ECDC. There are now several Mpox vaccines available worldwide.