The News
The first doses of a Japanese-made mpox vaccine should arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo next week, allowing the protection of young children.
The mpox outbreak in Africa has affected 20 countries, with a notable jump last week: 3,545 new cases were reported, up from 2,708 the week before, with 37 deaths.
The new vaccine, LC16, fills an important gap: The existing vaccine is only indicated for people over 12 years old, but LC16 is safe for children as young as one. Nearly half of all mpox cases in the DRC are in under-15s. Japan announced a donation of about 3 million doses of LC16, designed to prevent smallpox but effective against mpox.
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