The United States has pledged to donate one million doses of the mpox vaccine to African countries battling a surge of the virus, President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of an international emergency last month after a new strain of mpox emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spread to nearby countries.
“We must now move quickly to face the mpox outbreak in Africa,” Biden stated, pledging $500 million to support African nations in preventing and responding to the outbreak.
He also urged global leaders to match the U.S. commitment, aiming to raise a total of $1 billion for Africa.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease transmitted through close physical contact, causing symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and severe skin lesions. It can be deadly in some cases.
According to the WHO, 25,093 suspected cases and 723 deaths have been reported across Africa between January and September 8, 2024.
