To address the escalating mpox crisis in central Africa, Spain has announced it will donate 500,000 doses of the mpox vaccine.
This donation represents 20% of Spain's total vaccine reserves, underscoring the country's commitment to global health.
The Spanish government has called on other European Union nations to follow suit by donating 20% of their vaccine stockpiles. "It makes no sense to stockpile vaccines where there is no problem," stated the Spanish health ministry.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease transmitted from animals to humans and through close human contact.
The virus causes fever, muscle pains, skin lesions, and can be fatal in severe cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared its highest international alert level due to the resurgence of the disease and the emergence of a new strain, Clade 1b, detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Since July, outbreaks have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. Although no cases have been reported in Spain, Sweden registered its first case of the Clade 1b variant earlier this month, contracted during a visit to an affected African country.
France and Germany have also committed to the cause, each pledging 100,000 doses to countries grappling with the emergency.
The United States has contributed 10,000 doses specifically to Nigeria, and the WHO is planning a $135 million fund to support affected regions.
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