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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 22 augusT 2024
Congo reports more than 1,000 new mpox cases in a week.

African authorities ask for vaccines

By GERALD IMRAY new mpox variant first seen
Associated Press in eastern Congo.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa The WHO has previously
(AP) — Congo reported said its past efforts to raise
more than 1,000 new mpox donations for mpox failed
cases in the last week up to to elicit even a single donor
Tuesday as African health dollar.
authorities asked for des- Africa CDC’s Kaseya said
perately needed vaccines that his organization had
to help fight its “growing” received a pledge of
threat on the continent. 215,000 mpox vaccines
The World Health Organiza- from the European Union
tion has declared the out- and the vaccine maker,
breaks in Africa a global Bavarian Nordic, which
emergency. were due to arrive in the
Mpox belongs to the same next few days. The United
family of viruses as smallpox States’ aid agency said it
but causes milder symp- had donated 50,000 other
toms like fever, chills and doses of the same vaccine
body aches, and mostly to Congo. Japan has also
spreads through close skin- donated some doses to
to-skin contact, including Congo.
sexual intercourse. People But Africa likely needs much
with more serious cases A health worker attends to a mpox patient, at a treatment centre in Munigi, eastern Congo, more. Congo’s health min-
can develop lesions on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. ister said his country alone
the face, hands, chest and Associated Press needed 3 million vaccine
genitals. Prevention said, with 535 of seven days, Congo record- of the virus identified in doses to end the outbreaks
While mpox has been re- the 541 deaths reported. ed 1,030 of the 1,405 new Congo that might be more there, which have spilled
ported in 12 of Africa’s 54 The figures are likely an un- cases in Africa accord- easily transmitted led the into at least four nearby Af-
countries during these out- derestimate, as only about ing to statistics provided WHO to declare it a glob- rican countries.
breaks, the vast central Af- one in five suspected cases late Tuesday by the Africa al health emergency last A 2022 global mpox out-
rican nation of Congo has in Congo are being test- CDC. Only 16% of the cases week. Some hope this will break in more than 70
recorded by far the most ed for mpox. Africa CDC have been confirmed by encourage donors to share countries was shut down in
cases this year. Out of a to- director-general Dr. Jean virus tests, but the infections vaccines and other help to the space of months with
tal of 18,910 cases in 2024, Kaseya said many affected meet the agency’s defini- curtail the outbreaks in Af- vaccines and treatments
94% — or 17,794 — were in African countries had limit- tion of the disease. rica before cases spread made available in rich na-
Congo, the Africa Centers ed testing and surveillance The rising mpox case count internationally as Sweden tions, but hardly any doses
for Disease Control and capabilities. Over the last in Africa and a new form recorded a case of the reached Africa. q

Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley calls for more

international support for Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The the self-ruled democracy. focused on security issues in date before dropping out observer, which China op-
former U.S. ambassador “The United States should the Asia-Pacific. of the race in March. She poses.
to the United Nations, Nik- elevate Taiwan on the She called for Taiwan to has endorsed Trump in the Taiwanese President Lai
ki Haley, on Wednesday world stage. You should become a full member of November elections. Ching-te earlier accused
called for more internation- no longer be silenced in the U.N. even though it’s At the Taipei forum, she China of economic coer-
al backing for Taiwan and global affairs,” Haley told being blocked by China called on the U.S. and cion and military intimida-
a coordinated pushback an audience at Ketagalan from representation in in- its Western allies to rally tion.
against China’s claims over Forum, a Taipei conference ternational bodies. Beijing around Taiwan and “relent- “China intends to change
claims Taiwan as its own lessly push” for the island’s the rules-based interna-
territory, to be brought un- global acceptance. tional order,” Lai said in a
der its control by force if “If we take the necessary speech opening the forum.
necessary. China also pro- steps now, China will think “That is why democratic
hibits countries it has inter- twice before starting a countries must come to-
national relations with from war,” she said. gether and take concrete
having formal ties with Tai- Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s action. Only by working to-
pei. former prime minister who gether can we inhibit the
While the U.S. doesn’t for- also addressed the forum, expansion of authoritarian-
mally recognize Taiwan, it is echoed Haley’s calls for ism.”
the island’s strongest back- greater representation for Lai said China’s military ex-
er and arms provider. Taiwan in international or- ercises in the Taiwan Strait
Haley, who served at the ganizations. as well as joint sea and air
U.N. under former Presi- He decried Taiwan’s exclu- drills with Russia in the South
dent Donald Trump’s ad- sion from the World Health China Sea, Western Pacific
Nikki Haley, former United States Ambassador to the United ministration, ran a yearlong Organization and said he and Sea of Japan were
Nations, delivers a speech during the Ketagalan Forum in Taipei,
Taiwan, Wednesday, Aug.21, 2024. presidential campaign as was determined to push intended to intimidate its
Associated Press a tough-on-China candi- for its participation as an neighbors.q