MPOX: Elevating Country Preparedness, Readiness in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Daily Rendezvous - WHO Delivers Much Needed Laboratory Supplies, such as testing kits and re-agents, and supported Building the Capacity of Several National Laboratories to Enhance Early Detection The spread of the mpox (monkeypox) outbreak has been limited in the Eastern Mediterranean Region with 10 countries reporting 80 laboratory-confirmed cases and one associated death, mostly correlated with a travel history to areas where the outbreak is steadily circulating. From the very inception of the mpox outbreak in the Region, the World Health Organization (WHO) has responded to effectively enhance country preparedness and response to the newly emerging outbreak. With the declaration of the first case in the Region in May 2022, WHO established a regional technical working group as part of the Multi-Disease Outbreak Incident Management Support Team to coordinate the regional and country response to the mpox outbreak. The working group, comprising WHO technical ex...