Mpox: the DRC receives 50,000 vaccines from the USA

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recently received a significant boost in its fight against the ongoing smallpox outbreak with the arrival of 50,000 vaccine doses from the United States. This shipment, which arrived on Tuesday, follows a previous delivery of vaccines from the European Union.

According to Cris Kacita Osako, the coordinator of the Congolese Committee for the Fight against Monkeypox, the vaccination campaign will initially target adults in the provinces most affected by the outbreak: Equateur, South Kivu, and Sankuru. Vaccinations are set to begin on October 2. The primary goal is to curb the spread of the disease in these regions before expanding efforts.

Last week, the first batch of smallpox vaccines—100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine from Bavarian Nordic, a Danish pharmaceutical company—arrived in the capital city of Kinshasa. This delivery was made possible by the European Union through its health emergency agency, HERA. An additional 100,000 doses were also delivered over the weekend, making a total of 200,000 doses provided by the EU so far.

The recent 50,000 doses from the USA are also of the JYNNEOS vaccine variety, which is critical in the ongoing response. However, despite these substantial contributions, the 250,000 doses received thus far represent only a small portion of the estimated three million doses needed to effectively address the smallpox crisis in Congo, which has become the epicenter of the global health emergency.

In addition to these efforts, European Union countries have committed to donating an additional 500,000 doses. However, the timeline for these forthcoming doses remains uncertain.

Since the beginning of 2024, the continent has reported 5,549 confirmed smallpox cases, with 643 related deaths. This marks a significant surge in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. Notably, Congo accounts for 91% of these cases, with a high proportion of infections occurring in children under the age of 15. Burundi, the second most affected country, is also experiencing a severe outbreak.

In response to the escalating crisis, the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), recently launched a continent-wide response plan. This action came three weeks after the WHO declared the smallpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.

Congo has granted emergency authorization for the JYNNEOS vaccine, which has been previously used in Europe and the United States for adults. Initially, the vaccination campaign will focus on adults, particularly those who have had close contact with infected individuals and sex workers. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of CDC Africa, emphasized that these groups are a priority due to their high risk of exposure.

The European Medicines Agency is currently reviewing additional data to potentially extend the vaccine’s use to children aged 12 to 17. A decision on this is expected by the end of the month, according to HERA Director General Laurent Muschel.

Looking ahead, another batch of smallpox vaccines is anticipated from Japan, with delivery possibly occurring as early as this weekend. Kacita Osako confirmed the impending shipment but did not provide specific details on the number of doses.

This international support underscores a concerted global effort to combat the smallpox epidemic and highlight the ongoing need for effective vaccination campaigns to mitigate the crisis.