Following the first allocation round in November 2024, where 899,000 vaccine doses to nine African countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has allocated an additional 238, 000 doses during a second allocation round.
The effort is overseen by the WHO’s Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM), which is a collaboration of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; UNICEF and WHO.
This second allocation of mpox vaccines marks a significant step towards a coordinated and targeted response to the ongoing health crisis.
In Uganda for example, where clade Ib mpox has been detected, over 1,600 cases have been reported in the past six weeks (ending 9 March), including 12 deaths. The cumulative number of laboratory-confirmed mpox cases in Uganda has reached 4,342, with 31 deaths reported since the outbreak was declared in the East African country eight months ago, the Ugandan Ministry of Health said Tuesday. The age group mainly affected in Uganda is 18- 39 year-olds, transmission amongst sexual networks is reported and high incidence is reported in and around Kampala.
Sources: World Health Organization, ECDC, The Independent Uganda