Mash Burnedead
Member
The WHO is set to convene an emergency committee to determine if the ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has caused around 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths since early 2023, should be declared a public health emergency of international concern. Cases have also been confirmed in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, with a new variant, Clade Ib, spreading more easily among children. The WHO has released $1 million from its contingency fund and is fast-tracking approval for mpox vaccines. Although the global emergency status for a different mpox strain ended in 2022, the disease remains a significant health threat.