KAMPALA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has received 2,000 doses of mpox vaccine from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for a prevention campaign to be launched next month, a senior government official said on Friday.
Ugandan Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng told reporters that the vaccines will cover up to 1,000 individuals at high risk of contracting the highly infectious viral disease.
"Vaccination will target high-risk populations, close contacts of confirmed cases, and frontline health workers currently based in areas with active transmission," said Aceng.
Uganda, which confirmed the outbreak of the disease last August, has so far recorded 1,712 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases and 10 deaths, with the majority of the deceased having underlying medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, diabetes, and sickle cell disease.
At least 1,089 individuals have fully recovered and been discharged from various treatment facilities, according to the Ministry of Health.
Aceng assured tourists, investors, and traders that Uganda is safe for travel and business while urging Ugandans to remain vigilant and report suspected cases to health facilities.
The World Health Organization in August declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that is spread through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain. ■