DRC Receives First Batch of Mpox Vaccines to Combat Outbreak

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received its first batch of 100,000 mpox vaccines, part of an EU donation. Another 100,000 doses are expected soon. The mpox outbreak, formerly known as monkeypox, is spreading rapidly across Africa, with nearly 25,000 cases reported this year. The DRC accounts for most of these, but cases are rising elsewhere.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, warns that swift action is needed to halt the spread. He’s particularly concerned about a case in a seven-year-old child in Guinea, possibly the first detection of the new clade Ib variant in west Africa. Clade Ib, a mutated form of the virus, was first detected in eastern DRC and appears to be spreading through close contact.

The WHO and African health officials have declared the outbreak a public health emergency. A response plan is estimated to cost nearly $600 million over six months. While 380,000 doses have been pledged by western partners, officials say 3 million doses are needed to end the outbreak.

Vaccination programs will focus on contacts of suspected cases and healthcare workers. However, the program won’t start until October at the earliest, as local workers are being trained. Most cases in the DRC are among children, and regulators are assessing whether to authorize the vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds.

Concerns about vaccine affordability persist, with the WHO estimating a cost of $50 to $75 per dose. Dr. Andrew Hill of Liverpool University suggests Bavarian Nordic should lower prices or allow generic production. Bavarian Nordic, however, hasn’t discussed prices with relevant organizations.

The presence of clade Ib in Kinshasa, with its international connections, underscores the need for improved surveillance to control the disease’s spread.