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The World Health Organization declared the spread of the new strain of Mpox a public health emergency of international concern
Malawi has begun screening for Mpox at all ports of entry to prevent the spread of the virus. The country had the first two suspected cases and is currently awaiting laboratory test results. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the epicenter of a more deadly strain of the virus that emerged last year and has subsequently spread to more than 10 other African states.
The World Health Organization declared the spread of the new strain of Mpox a public health emergency of international concern. On Wednesday, Africa’s top public health agency said some countries on the continent could start vaccinating against Mpox within days. While Malawi says it is planning for a worst-case scenario, not everyone will be vaccinated against the virus.
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The decision to screen visitors to the country is part of preventative measures, including an awareness campaign, especially through community health networks. It has also set up a mobile diagnostic unit at a hospital in the country’s capital, Lilongwe. Malawi is one of the few Southern African countries that have so far managed to avoid an Mpox outbreak.