US health authorities have sounded the alarm since a record outbreak of smallpox cases was recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expressed concerns about the spread of the disease, also called “monkeypox,” in a context in which a mutation of the virus “with epidemic potential” has been identified in a Congolese village.
According to data from the American organization, 19,919 cases of smallpox were recorded in the Congo between 1any January 2023 and April 14, 2024, while 975 people died from the disease during this period.
Patients under the age of 15 account for 67% of infections and 78% of deaths. Children under 5 years of age make up 28% of patients.
Fears of Pride celebrations
Smallpox, which causes fever and rash, is transmitted through direct contact with a sick person or through the use of contaminated objects. Gay and bisexual men are often the most affected by the disease, raising fears of the worst for Pride celebrations that begin in June in several countries around the world.
US health authorities recommend that the most vulnerable people get two doses of the smallpox vaccine to protect themselves from the most dangerous forms of the disease.
According to information received from daily Mail.
