WHO donates MPOX kits to Maldives

World Health Organisation (WHO) has donates MPOX (Monkey Pox) test kits to Maldives.

WHO declared the outbreak of MPOX in Africa as a global threat on 14 May. Outbreaks have also been confirmed from some Asian countries as well, including Pakistan and India.

The test kits were handed over to the Ministry of Health on behalf of WHO by Dr Padmal de Silva. State Minister Ismail Sharif accepted the test kits on behalf of the Health Ministry.

According to Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s latest announcements, Maldives is fully prepared for an outbreak. The agency said that measures taken include identifying the likelihood of the disease reaching the country, controlling the disease and preparing for testing and treatment.

However, Maldives is yet to report a case of MPOX so far.

Understanding Mpox

Mpox, originally known as monkeypox, is a virus transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals. Once in a human host, the virus can be spread from person to person, though transmission typically requires close physical contact.

The virus was first identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Symptoms include coughing, pain, and pus-filled blisters on the body.

There are two identified strains of the virus: clade 1, which is common in the Congo region of Central Africa, and clade 2, prevalent in West Africa. Clade 1 is associated with a higher vulnerability.

In May 2022, mpox was reported globally, with the disease primarily affecting homosexual men at that time, who were infected with the clade 2B subclade. The WHO declared it a global health threat.

The threat status was maintained from July 2022 to May 2023 but was lifted after a decline in cases. However, since September of the previous year, over 11,000 people have been infected in the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in 445 deaths.

To date, the WHO reports that more than 14,000 people have been infected and 524 have died in 2024 alone.