Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:15am on 15 Aug 2024,Thursday Health & Wellness
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and other African countries a global health emergency. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on August 14, 2024, of the virus’s potential to spread beyond Africa. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths across 13 countries, with cases rising by 160% and deaths increasing by 19% compared to last year. The new mpox variant from Congo has a death rate of approximately three to four percent. Vaccine availability remains critically low across the continent.
