The latest mpox outbreak, with 17000 cases and 500 deaths weighed heavily on the SADC summit in Harare at the weekend. Europeans are racing to get vaccines, Countries are issuing warning to travellers. The WHO urges rich countries not to hoard the vaccine.

That summit showed SADC to be the most stable of the African regional groupings, although the member with possibly the most potential - i.e. the DRC - is providing the biggest headache.

Rare good news from Sierra Leone: plastic roof sheeting to protect against the heat wave. It seems to work and will be rolled out to 35% of informal settlements.