Belgium donates 20,000 mpox vaccines to DR Congo
Belgium is donating 20,000 mpox vaccines to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the country hardest hit by the mpox epidemic, the Federal Council of Ministers decided on Friday.
The rapid spread of mpox in Central Africa is a cause for concern. The Africa Centres for Disease Control reports that there have been around 24,000 suspected or confirmed new cases of mpox in 13 countries since the beginning of this year. More than 600 people have died from the disease, the vast majority of them in the DRC.
Three weeks ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency. It called for urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission.
"We call on other European countries to follow our example"
Belgium is now responding to the request from the WHO, as well as the EU and the DRC, to donate part of its own strategic stock of mpox vaccines so that people at risk in the DRC can be vaccinated as soon as possible. It will donate a total of 20,000 mpox vaccines.
“We call on other European countries to follow our example,” Development Cooperation minister Caroline Gennez and Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke said in a press release.
Belgium previously sounded the alarm with the European Public Health Authority, which has now ordered 215,000 vaccines. The first batch was delivered on Thursday.
Vandenbroucke says the situation in Belgium is also being closely monitored, but that it looks reassuring. “This allows us to use part of our stock for the people in the affected regions,” he said. “Of course, we have already taken steps to replenish it so that we are ready, should the situation in our country change.”
A healthcare worker prepares a dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine © PHOTO PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP
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