The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday launched an appeal for $18.5 million to be used in providing crucial health care services to migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities in East Africa, Southern and the horn of Africa at risk of mpox.
Last week, the WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a public health emergency of international and continental concern.
According to the latest Africa CDC figures, as many as 17,541 mpox cases and 517 deaths have so far been reported from 13 African countries.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicentre of the current outbreak, accounts for 96% of all cases and 97% of all deaths reported in 2024.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a rare infectious disease that is also transmitted between people. It is usually a mild disease that most people recover from within a few weeks, but some may have complications.
The initial symptoms of mpox include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, enlarged lymph nodes, chills and fatigue. A rash may develop, often starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body.
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