The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will not receive its anticipated delivery of mpox vaccines this week. Cris Kacita, head of the DRC’s response team, confirmed the delay, citing ongoing regulatory processes required before the vaccines can be shipped. The Congolese pharmaceutical regulatory agency is awaiting guidance from Bavarian Nordic, the Danish drugmaker producing the vaccines. The delay in vaccine delivery comes as the DRC experiences a surge in new mpox cases. Last week, the country recorded over 1,000 new mpox cases, contributing to more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 deaths reported across 12 African nations this year.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA