The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first rapid diagnostic test for mpox, which allows for immediate results. This development could be crucial in curbing the global surge of the deadly virus.
The new PCR test detects mpox DNA from skin lesion swabs, offering an alternative to current methods, which require sending samples to a laboratory and waiting several days for results.
Limited testing capacity and delays in confirming cases have been significant obstacles in Africa, contributing to the spread of mpox, previously known as monkeypox. The WHO reported that out of more than 30,000 suspected cases in Africa this year, only around 40% have been confirmed through testing.
Yukiko Nakatani, WHO’s assistant director-general, hailed the new diagnostic tool as “a significant milestone,” stating that “increasing access to quality-assured medical products is central to our efforts in assisting countries to contain the spread of the virus and protect their people, especially in underserved regions.”
The breakthrough comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has reported the highest number of cases, is set to begin an mpox vaccination campaign on Saturday. The disease, known for being highly contagious, has claimed at least 635 lives in the DRC this year alone.
In August, the WHO declared a global public health emergency over the mpox outbreak for the second time in two years, following a surge of cases in the DRC and its spread to neighboring countries like Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda.
Although some Western nations have donated mpox vaccines to help address the outbreak in Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) indicated that more doses are urgently needed. Rwanda, which became the first African country to administer mpox vaccines last month, is expecting an additional 5,000 doses on Friday.
In Nigeria, a vaccination drive is scheduled to commence next Tuesday, while the DRC is prioritizing frontline healthcare workers and close contacts of infected patients. The DRC has received 200,000 vaccine doses donated by the European Commission to aid in its campaign.
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