The first case in Europe was reported in Sweden on Thursday, prompting several countries to issue emergency procedures to health workers on how to detect and contain the spread of the virus. China is already taking surveillance and sanitation measures for arrivals from affected countries, reported Reuters.
This more deadly strain is known as clade I, and it appears to be disproportionately affecting children. In June, the WHO reported that 39 percent of cases and 62 percent of deaths were in children under 5 years old.
Bavarian Nordic also said Friday that a study of the vaccine in children aged 2 to 12 years-old will take place in DRC and Uganda later this year.
“Children and adolescents are disproportionally affected by mpox in the ongoing outbreak in Africa, highlighting the importance and urgency to broaden the access to vaccines and therapies for this vulnerable population,” said Paul Chaplin, Bavarian Nordic’s CEO.
Africa’s disease agency has asked for 10 million vaccine doses. To date, the EU has offered 215,000 from the 2 million doses it bought during the last outbreak, declared in 2022.
