Germany provides laboratory in Congo to detect smallpox

Germany is stepping up its efforts to prevent the further spread of smallpox in Africa. The Berlin Development Ministry announced that a mobile laboratory for detecting the virus will be delivered to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are also plans to train more specialists so that they can recognize the symptoms of the disease and educate the population about preventive measures. According to information, similar training measures were already in place in eastern Congo in June.

“The African authorities have asked for help from the international community, and this help must be provided now,” said Development Minister Svenja Schulze. This applies not only to vaccination doses, but also to laboratory capacity, logistical support and advice so that affected countries can contain the spread of the virus.

Emergency Funds as a Lesson from the Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared its highest level of alert due to the outbreak of smallpox in Africa and a new, potentially more dangerous variant. The aim is to encourage authorities around the world to be more vigilant. The African health body CDC Africa recorded nearly 1,400 new cases of smallpox in a week. There have been nearly 19,000 cases since the beginning of the year. “As a lesson from the epidemic, we have set up an international emergency fund that is currently filled with $500 million,” Scholz said. “These resources must now be used against Mpox.” In the long term, vaccine production in Africa is the only fair solution. According to experts, the Clade Ib variant appears to be more transmissible than previous variants and also leads to more severe cases.