- Africa to finally receive first batch of vaccines for deadly mpox virus
- Nigeria has been given 10,000 doses by the USA
- Nigeria has confirmed 40 cases but the actual number could exceed 700
Africa to finally receive first batch of vaccines for deadly mpox virus
Nigeria has become the first African country to receive mpox vaccines, obtaining 10,000 doses to combat the ongoing outbreak of the disease. The country began securing the vaccines well before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency earlier this month.
Africa has been significantly affected by the rapid spread of mpox, prompting calls for a faster response from international agencies. While Nigeria has confirmed 40 cases of mpox this year, officials suggest the actual number could exceed 700. The 10,000 vaccine doses Nigeria received were donated by the United States.
Although Nigeria has reported no deaths from the virus and no cases of the Clade 1b variant, which has been detected in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries, the situation remains serious. In contrast, the DR Congo has reported over 18,000 suspected mpox cases and 615 deaths this year.
There are no vaccines specifically for mpox yet, but existing smallpox vaccines, produced by two pharmaceutical companies, are effective against it. Nigeria plans to prioritise health workers and high-risk communities in the 13 affected states during its vaccination campaign.