U.S. President Joe Biden is set to announce the donation of 1 million mpox vaccine doses and at least $500 million in aid to African countries on Tuesday to support their outbreak response, according to a senior administration official.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Biden will urge other nations to contribute as well.
Following a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which spread to neighboring countries and beyond, including India, the World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if a case appeared in the U.S.,” the official said, adding that recent congressional cuts in pandemic funding could affect the U.S. response.
Health officials have expressed concerns about responding effectively to the current mpox outbreak due to resource constraints, warning that future budget cuts may hinder efforts further.
Mpox typically spreads through close contact and is generally mild, though it can be fatal in rare instances, causing flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.
Congo’s outbreak started with the endemic clade I strain, but a new variant, clade Ib, seems to spread more easily through close, including sexual, contact.
The U.S. plans to donate 1 million doses of the Bavarian Nordic vaccine, known as Jynneos in the U.S., to fight the mpox outbreak, with many doses coming from U.S. stockpiles.
This donation follows a previous contribution of 60,000 doses.
The vaccines are expected to be distributed by Gavi, a public-private alliance that supports vaccine distribution in low-income countries.
A U.S. official emphasized Gavi’s capability to ensure equitable access to vaccines. Recently, Gavi purchased 500,000 doses of the Bavarian Nordic vaccine for the outbreak.
The Biden administration is also advocating for vaccine production in low and middle-income countries, collaborating with Brazil and the G20 to enhance the mpox response.
However, no African manufacturer currently has the capacity to produce the vaccine’s complex drug substance.
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