A vaccination campaign against monkeypox (mpox) is set to begin in Congo on October 2, focusing on the most affected provinces of Equateur, South Kivu, and Sankuru. The campaign will use the JYNNEOS vaccine, with 200,000 doses donated by the European Union through HERA. However, authorities estimate that 3 million doses are needed to end the outbreaks in Congo, which accounts for 91% of cases in Africa.
The continent has seen a sharp increase in monkeypox cases this year, with 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, mostly affecting children under 15 years old. The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have launched a response plan, three weeks after declaring monkeypox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
The vaccine, which has emergency approval in Congo, is initially being administered to adults with priority given to those in close contact with infected individuals and sex workers. The European Medicines Agency is reviewing data to potentially approve the vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 by the end of the month.
Overall, the vaccination campaign aims to control the monkeypox outbreak in Congo and reduce the spread of the virus across Africa. The European Union countries have pledged to donate more doses to support these efforts, but a clear timeline for delivery remains uncertain.
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