A Public Health Emergency was declared by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
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Isle of Man residents are being urged to remain vigilant for symptoms of MPOX as the dangerous strain spreads.
Public health officials on the island said they were “planning and preparing” to respond to any cases, but that the risk to residents was still “low.”
The first cases of a suspected new lineage 1b variant were identified in Thailand, prompting swift action from local health authorities, as Asian countries step up their defenses against MPOX following the detection of a potentially more dangerous variant.
The rapid spread of the new MPOX strain in Africa prompted the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency last week.
Britain is also bracing for possible cases of the new variant after the first case of the more deadly variant in Europe was confirmed in Sweden last week.
Health officials said plans were underway to ensure health workers were aware of symptoms and had access to rapid testing to tackle a possible outbreak in the country.
However, European health authorities have ruled out implementing border controls as the risk of a global virus outbreak is still considered “low”.
In Argentina, a cargo ship has been quarantined after a crew member was found to have “cyst-like skin lesions,” marking the first suspected case of MPOX on board, the health ministry said.
Key Points
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Mpox outbreak: How worried should we be about the deadly virus outbreak in the UK?
Concerns about the MPOX virus are growing due to the emergence of new, potentially even more dangerous variants.
In the UK, 186 MPOX cases have been reported over the past two years, with no deaths, but outbreaks in Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo, have led to around 450 deaths linked to the new lineage 1b strain.
The first two cases of the virus outside Africa were confirmed in Sweden and Thailand, both involving travellers from affected areas.
The variant has not yet been detected in the UK, but there are currently no official travel restrictions from affected countries.
British authorities are monitoring the situation but have reassured the public that strong control measures are in place. Health officials said their focus remains on maintaining vigilance and controlling any potential spread of infection, rather than imposing travel restrictions.
(via Reuters)
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 16:00
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WATCH | Anti-vaxxers claim MPOX outbreak is a 'scandemic'
Anti-vaxxers claim the Mpox outbreak is a “scandemic” – but that's false
Conspiracy theorists have labelled the recent mpox epidemic a “fraud-demic” amid a recent wave of misinformation on social media. The World Health Organisation declared a public health emergency following outbreaks in several African countries, and at least three cases have been reported outside the continent. Mpox can be spread by skin-to-skin contact, respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated materials. Symptoms include high fever, headache and muscle pain. In Africa, the latest strain, called lineage 1b, has a higher mortality rate of 4-10% compared to the usual 0-11%. Bill Gates, along with other major pharmaceutical companies, have been falsely accused of faking the epidemic to promote vaccines for profit, with some claiming that the COVID vaccine caused mpox symptoms. Professor Michael Marks from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told The Independent: “Vaccination is the most likely element of control. It is a known vaccine that is very safe and very well tolerated.”
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 15:30
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Charities welcome Congolese government's £3.1m support for MPOX but call for further funding for clean water
The Government's commitment to provide a £3.1 million MPOX package for the Democratic Republic of Congo has been welcomed by charities.
But WaterAid has urged ministers to focus funding on clean water to combat the virus.
Katherine Nightingale, WaterAid's director of international affairs, said: “The UK Government is right to support efforts to contain the measles and cholera outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but it must also allocate funding to ensure clean water and sanitation are provided in health facilities, homes and schools, in line with World Health Organisation advice.”
“Vaccination will not be our solution to this growing health crisis. Today, one in ten people lacks access to clean water and half of the world's health facilities lack basic hand hygiene services. These are ideal conditions for infectious diseases to enter and disrupt lives.
“If the UK really wants to eradicate the threat of chickenpox and play its part in saving lives, the Government must urgently prioritise investment in clean water and good sanitation. We are for water, water for all.”
Patients gather to collect water from a tap at a treatment centre for Mpox, an infectious disease caused by the Mpox virus (Reuters)
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 15:00
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Video: New deadly MPOX strain likely already in the UK, disease expert says
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 14:30
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Congo reports over 1,000 new MPOX cases in one week
More than 1,000 new MPOX cases were reported in Congo in the week to last Tuesday, leading African health officials to appeal for supplies of badly needed vaccines to combat the “growing” threat on the continent.
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak in Africa a global emergency.
Mpox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills and body aches, and is primarily transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. Patients with more severe cases may develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.
MPOX has been reported in 12 of Africa's 54 countries during the epidemic, but the vast Central African nation of Congo has reported by far the most cases this year. Of the total 18,910 cases in 2024, 94% (17,794) occurred in Congo, and 535 of the 541 reported deaths occurred there, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read the full story below:
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 14:00
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How widespread is monkeypox or MPOX?
There are now more than 17,000 confirmed cases across the continent, with the WHO saying the outbreak is of “international concern”.
A public health emergency was declared by the group's executive director, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The outbreak comes as a new lineage, named lineage 1, which is said to be spreading primarily through sexual networks, was identified. According to WHO, the lineage has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, countries that have never previously reported cases of MPOX.
Swedish public health authorities have confirmed one case of the new variant in Sweden. The person, who is currently in quarantine, became infected during a trip to the African country where other cases have been reported, officials said.
Thai health authorities also said on Wednesday they were trying to identify the strain of an MPOX case in a European man who arrived from Africa last week.
Both the Philippines and Pakistan reported that the MPOX cases they were testing were confirmed to be an earlier variant already circulating in many countries, rather than the new lineage 1 strain of concern to the WHO.
Below is a map of all confirmed MPOX cases (each strain) worldwide since the beginning of 2024.
Salma Waghira23 August 2024 13:35
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Bavarian Nordic secures supply contract for 440,000 vaccine doses amid COVID-19 health crisis
Danish biotechnology company Bayern Nordic has won a contract to supply 440,000 doses of smallpox and multiple sclerosis vaccines to an undisclosed European country.
The company confirmed that the order was expected and would not affect its overall vaccine production capacity.
The announcement came after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared MPOX a global health emergency, marking the second outbreak caused by the virus in two years.
Bayern Nordic CEO Paul Chaplin claimed the company would be able to supply up to 10 million doses of the vaccine by the end of next year, with another 2 million available for the remainder of the year.
Chaplin said that depending on the outcome of ongoing discussions with the WHO, production of the MPOX vaccine may be scaled up before further orders are placed.
(EPA)
Salma Waghira2024-08-23 13:03
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Pictured: Mpox patient left with blisters caused by the deadly virus
MPOX sufferer Christophe Shabiringa waits for treatment at a clinic in Munigi, Congo. (AP)
Salma Waghira2024/08/23 12:33
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EU health chief urges countries to increase vaccine donations to combat MPOX
European Union health commissioner Stella Kyriakides called for increased vaccine donations to combat the spread of the MPOX virus, urging a “coordinated and sustained” effort across Europe.
As the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, she published an open letter pressuring EU member states to cooperate on vaccinations.
So far, around 215,000 doses of the vaccine have been donated to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention with the support of the EU's pandemic task force.
Kyriakides stressed the urgency of the situation and set a “deadline” for donations at the end of August.
However, it is unclear what consequences will be in place for member states that fail to meet this target.
Salma Waghira2024/08/23 12:02
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Asian countries tighten entry restrictions to combat MPOX outbreak
The five countries are tightening border controls in response to the emergence of more dangerous variants of the MPOX virus.
Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia have introduced new health protocols.
In Thailand, travellers arriving from countries where the infection is actively spreading must undergo rigorous screening and register with authorities.
Both Thailand and South Korea have implemented policies allowing authorities to quarantine individuals who show symptoms of the virus.
Salma Waghira2024/08/23 11:30
