Pope Francis urged on governments and the pharmaceutical industry to do more to send vaccines to the worst-hit countries on Sunday, highlighting mpox victims in his weekly prayers.
“I pray for all the infected people, in particular the population of Democratic Republic of Congo, so affected, I express my closeness to the local churches most touched by this disease,” the pope said during his Angelus prayers in St Peter’s Square.
This month, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency due to the increase in mpox cases from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to neighboring African countries. Additionally, it has demanded increased vaccination production and distribution.
“I encourage governments and private industry to share the technology and available treatments so that nobody lacks adapted medical care,” the pope said.
Although mpox has been recognized for many years, the recent increase in cases has been caused by a new, more lethal strain called Clade 1b.
The WHO reports that Clade 1b is responsible for approximately 3.6 percent of deaths, with youngsters being especially vulnerable.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the virus has killed over 570 people so far this year. Since July, outbreaks have been documented in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi. Sweden last week announced the first case in Europe.
The virus can transfer from humans to animals as well as between people when they come into close personal contact.
