Leaders | A deadly virus

Countries should act faster to curb the spread of mpox

The slower the response, the more people will die

A mother applies medication to the skin of her child who is under treatment against Mpox at a health centre in Munigi, Nyiragongo territory, near Goma in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, August 19th 2024 — Photograph: Reuters

Aug 22nd 2024

Mpox is spreading. A new strain of this viral disease—which is easier to transmit than older ones and appears to be more deadly—has gripped the Democratic Republic of Congo throughout the year. Now it has reached other parts of central and eastern Africa, and is starting to appear elsewhere. It is likely to go far, carried by international travellers. According to Airfinity, a health-data firm, Dubai and London are at greatest risk of importing the new strain, known as clade 1b.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Act faster to curb mpox”