New Monkeypox Variant Spurs Continent-Wide Health Alert in Africa

The African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared a public health emergency across the continent due to a monkeypox outbreak affecting Central and East Africa, as reported by the BBC. The outbreak is particularly concerning because it involves a new and more dangerous variant of the virus.

Monkeypox, a virus related to smallpox but generally less severe, was originally spread from animals to humans. However, it has now also been transmitted between people. The disease is most commonly found in remote rainforest villages, such as those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths occur annually. Children under 15 are the most affected by the disease.

Earlier this week, independent experts appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) are scheduled to meet to determine whether the monkeypox situation constitutes a global public health emergency. In response to the outbreak, the UN has announced that vaccine manufacturers can now apply for emergency licenses from the WHO. This will enable international organizations like UNICEF and "Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance" to distribute vaccines more widely.