Contenuto disponibile in Italiano

EU: “monkeypox”, vaccines in Africa to fight the outbreak

To respond to the mpox outbreak (the so-called “monkeypox”, a viral infectious disease) in Africa, the European Commission is working to ensure that 122,300 vaccine doses donated by Belgium, Germany and Portugal reach the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The first 100,000 doses donated by Germany are set to arrive today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The shipments – organised by the United Nations International Children’s Fund – will continue in the coming weeks. The comprehensive commitment made by the EU is 580,000 mpox vaccines, of which 205,000 doses have already been donated. In addition to this, the Commission has provided €1.5 million in humanitarian funding to support Burundi, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to respond to the mpox outbreak. Four epidemiologists from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have also been sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the epicentre of this epidemic. Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič thanked the Member States for their solidarity. “The ongoing mpox emergency is a threat to global health and is putting the capacity of local health systems under strain”, Commissioner Lenarčič added; the EU remains committed to “curbing the epidemic” and “assisting all countries affected”.

© Riproduzione Riservata

Quotidiano

Quotidiano - Italiano

Europa