The empox virus is spreading in various countries in Africa and beyond. Two cases of the clade 1b variant of mpox virus have been reported in Uganda. The country’s Ministry of Health said that one of the victims is a truck driver. Both of them have been kept in isolation at a hospital in Entebbe. Al Jazeera news. Meanwhile, cases of the virus have been reported in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand and Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency due to international concern over the virus. However, they stressed, the empox virus will not cause a Covid-like situation.

This is the second time in two years that a health alert has been issued due to this virus. Currently, the clade 1 variant of this virus is spreading. It is believed to be more serious than the previous variant. It can spread through skin contact.

The virus was first detected in Africa in 2022. The outbreak of this virus first started in Congo. So far 8 people have been infected with this virus in Burundi. No deaths were reported there.

However, in Cameroon, 35 people have been infected with the virus and two have died. Central African Republic has 213 cases, Ivory Coast has 28 cases and one death, Congo has 146 cases and 1 death,

Four infected in Ghana, five in Liberia, 24 in Nigeria, two in Rwanda, 22 in South Africa and three deaths, one in Kenya and one in Mozambique. Meanwhile, one in Pakistan, one in the Philippines and one in Thailand. In 2022, the virus spread to about 100 countries, including some countries in Europe and Asia. At that time, the World Health Organization issued a global health alert. The virus was formerly known as monkeypox. At least 450 people died during the initial outbreak of the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is known to spread through contact with an infected person. It causes flu-like symptoms as well as pus-filled sores. In most cases the effects are mild but can lead to death. Since the beginning of this year, 13 thousand 700 people have been infected with this virus in Congo.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends vaccination against Mpox in endemic areas in Africa. However, the ECDC said that although the World Health Organization recently declared the Mpox situation a global emergency, the risk of it spreading around the world is relatively low.