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國際時事跟讀VIP Ep.K839: Mpox Outbreak: A Growing Global Concern

Highlights 主題摘要：

• The WHO has declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of a deadlier strain (clade Ib) in multiple countries.
• Mpox, related to smallpox, is spreading through a new mutation (clade Ib) that's more severe and adapted to human transmission, posing increased risks to vulnerable groups.
• Global efforts to contain the outbreak include vaccine distribution and increased surveillance, but challenges remain in vaccine accessibility and diagnostic capabilities, especially in rural areas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency. This decision follows a similar declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak is particularly worrying due to the rapid spread of a deadlier strain of the virus, known as clade Ib, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its appearance in at least four previously unaffected African countries.

世界衛生組織最近宣布非洲持續發生的猴痘疫情為全球衛生緊急事件。此決定緊隨非洲疾病預防控制中心的類似宣告。由於在剛果民主共和國內一種稱為 clade Ib 更致命的病毒株迅速傳播，並已出現在至少四個先前未受影響的非洲國家，此次疫情更加令人擔憂。

Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is a viral disease related to smallpox. It spreads through close contact and can cause flu-like symptoms followed by a painful rash. The current outbreak is different from previous ones because it's driven by clade I, which causes more severe illness than clade II. The subtype responsible for most of the current spread, clade Ib, is a relatively new mutation that has adapted to human transmission, making it more concerning for public health officials. The danger of mpox varies depending on the strain and the individual affected. Clade I has shown fatality rates of up to 10% in some outbreaks, though recent cases have had lower death rates. Certain groups, such as infants, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, are at higher risk of severe infections.

猴痘 Mpox，之前稱為 monkeypox ，是一種與天花相關的病毒性疾病。它通過密切接觸傳播，並可能引起類似流感的症狀，隨後出現疼痛的皮疹。此次疫情與之前不同，因為它由 clade I 引起，比 clade II 造成更嚴重的疾病反應。目前傳播的主要亞型 clade Ib 是一種相對較新的突變，已適應人傳人，這使公共衛生官員更為擔憂。猴痘的危險性因病毒株和個體而異。在某些疫情中，clade I 的致死率高達 10％，儘管近期病例的死亡率較低。某些群體，如嬰兒、免疫系統較弱者和孕婦，更容易出現嚴重感染。

While mpox has historically been found in Central and West Africa, the current outbreak is spreading to new countries within Africa and has recently been detected in Sweden, marking its first appearance outside the continent. This geographic expansion, combined with the potential for international spread, has prompted urgent action from global health organizations. The outbreak is particularly challenging to monitor and control in rural areas due to limited access to diagnostic tools and laboratories.

雖然猴痘歷來主要存在於中非和西非，但目前的疫情正從非洲內部蔓延到新的國家，最近還在瑞典被檢測到，顯示著它首次出現在非洲大陸之外。這種地理擴張，加上潛在的國際傳播，促使全球衛生組織採取緊急行動。由於診斷工具和實驗室的有限使用，在農村地區監測和控制疫情尤其具有挑戰性。

Efforts to contain the outbreak include vaccine distribution, increased surveillance, and research to better understand the virus. The Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, has allocated up to $500 million for supplying mpox vaccines to affected countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding areas. Beginning in 2026, Gavi will establish a global stockpile of mpox vaccines. However, challenges remain, especially in terms of vaccine accessibility in affected African countries and the need for improved diagnostic capabilities in rural areas. WHO has emphasized that vaccines are only part of the response; containing the spread will also require enhanced surveillance, diagnostics, and research to fill gaps in understanding the disease.

為遏制疫情所做的努力包括疫苗分發、加強監測和深入了解病毒的研究。全球疫苗免疫聯盟（Vaccine Alliance，Gavi）已撥款高達 5 億美元，為受影響國家（包括剛果民主共和國及周邊地區）提供猴痘疫苗。從 2026 年開始，Gavi 將建立全球猴痘疫苗儲備。然而，挑戰仍然存在，尤其是在受影響的非洲國家獲得疫苗的可及性，以及提高農村地區診斷能力的需求方面。世界衛生組織強調，疫苗只是應對措施的一部分；遏制傳播還需要加強監測、診斷和研究，以填補對這種疾病認知的不足。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字：

1. Declaration (Dec-la-ra-tion): This decision follows a similar declaration by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. Mutation (Mu-ta-tion): The subtype responsible for most of the current spread, clade Ib, is a relatively new mutation that has adapted to human transmission, making it more concerning for public health officials.
3. Pregnant (Preg-nant): Certain groups, such as infants, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, are at higher risk of severe infections.
4. Diagnostic (Di-ag-nos-tic): The outbreak is particularly challenging to monitor and control in rural areas due to limited access to diagnostic tools and laboratories.
5. Stockpile (Stock-pile): Beginning in 2026, Gavi will establish a global stockpile of mpox vaccines.

Reference article: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/15/health/mpox-outbreak-clade-ib-africa?cid=ios_app