The recent monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak in Africa has been called a global public health emergency. Dr. Lin Xiaoxu, a virology expert and former lab director of the viral disease branch at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, explained the symptoms of Mpox infection and paths of transmission on the Epoch Times’ “Health 1+1” program.
New Surge in Africa Draws Renewed Attention
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Aug. 14 declared that the surge in Mpox cases constituted a public health emergency of international concern. The last such warning was made in July 2022 and ended in May 2023 as global cases continued to drop.The news release mentioned that in 2023, a new virus strain, clade 1b, appeared in Congo and has spread rapidly since then, causing a significant increase in Mpox cases. As of July 2024, more than 100 cases of the new virus strain were reported in four neighboring countries around Congo, namely Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
