By Ollus Ndomu
An mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed 548 lives since the start of the year, affecting all 26 provinces, Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba announced Thursday. The surge in cases has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global public health emergency, citing concern over the rapid spread in the DRC and neighboring countries.
According to the latest data, the DRC has reported 15,664 suspected cases, with the most affected provinces including South Kivu, North Kivu, Tshopo, and Equateur. The outbreak has also prompted the African Union’s health watchdog to declare a continent-wide public health emergency.
Global Reactions:
- WHO: Declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, mobilizing global resources and attention.
- African Union: Issued its own public health emergency to address the crisis.
- International Community: Calls for increased support and vaccine distribution are growing as the virus spreads beyond Africa.
The international response is intensifying, with urgent efforts underway to prevent further spread of the virus globally.
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