WHO Grants First Mpox Vaccine Approval to Ramp up Response to Disease in Africa

Doses of Bavarian Nordic's Imvanex vaccine, used to protect against mpox virus, at the Edison municipal vaccination center in Paris, France July 27, 2022. Alain Jocard/Pool via Reuters
Doses of Bavarian Nordic's Imvanex vaccine, used to protect against mpox virus, at the Edison municipal vaccination center in Paris, France July 27, 2022. Alain Jocard/Pool via Reuters
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WHO Grants First Mpox Vaccine Approval to Ramp up Response to Disease in Africa

Doses of Bavarian Nordic's Imvanex vaccine, used to protect against mpox virus, at the Edison municipal vaccination center in Paris, France July 27, 2022. Alain Jocard/Pool via Reuters
Doses of Bavarian Nordic's Imvanex vaccine, used to protect against mpox virus, at the Edison municipal vaccination center in Paris, France July 27, 2022. Alain Jocard/Pool via Reuters

The World Health Organization said Friday it has granted its first authorization for use of a vaccine against mpox in adults, calling it an important step toward fighting the disease in Africa.

The approval of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic A/S means that donors like vaccines alliance Gavi and UNICEF can buy it. But supplies are limited because there's only a single manufacturer.

“This first (authorization) of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa, and in future,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

WHO also said it was creating an “access and allocation mechanism” to try to fairly distribute mpox tests, treatments and vaccines to the countries who need them most.

The UN health agency approved the two-dose mpox vaccine for people aged 18 and above. WHO said that while it was not recommending the vaccine for those under 18, the shot may be used in infants, children and adolescents “in outbreak settings where the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks.”

The mpox vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic was previously authorized by numerous rich countries across Europe and North America during the global mpox outbreak in 2022. Millions of doses given to adults showed the vaccine helped slow the virus' spread, but there is limited evidence of how it works in children.

Officials at the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention said last month that nearly 70% of cases in Congo — the country hardest hit by mpox — are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths.

Overall, WHO said over 120 countries have confirmed more than 103,000 cases of mpox since the outbreak began two years ago. Its latest tally, as of Sunday, showed that 723 people in more than a dozen countries in Africa have died of the disease.

African experts have estimated they might need about 10 million vaccines to stop the ongoing outbreaks on the continent while donor countries have promised to provide about 3.6 million vaccines. As of last week, Congo, the most-affected country, had received only about 250,000 doses.

On Thursday, the Africa CDC said 107 new deaths and 3,160 new cases had been recorded in the past week, just a week after it and WHO launched a continental response plan.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.



Hundreds Line Up to Visit Pope Francis' Tomb in Rome

People queue to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Italy, 27 April 2025. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88. EPA/FABIO CIMAGLIA
People queue to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Italy, 27 April 2025. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88. EPA/FABIO CIMAGLIA
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Hundreds Line Up to Visit Pope Francis' Tomb in Rome

People queue to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Italy, 27 April 2025. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88. EPA/FABIO CIMAGLIA
People queue to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, Italy, 27 April 2025. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88. EPA/FABIO CIMAGLIA

Hundreds of people filed past the tomb of Pope Francis from early on Sunday morning in the Roman basilica where he chose to be buried in a break from tradition.
No pope had been laid to rest outside the Vatican in more than a century, but Francis opted instead for burial in Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Major), located in the Italian capital's most multi-cultural neighborhood.
His coffin was taken there on Saturday after his funeral Mass in St. Peter's square, with around 150,000 people lining the route through the heart of the city to say their farewells, Reuters reported.
The casket was placed in a simple marble tomb in a side aisle of the basilica. Only his name in Latin, "Franciscus", is inscribed on top, while a reproduction of the plain cross that he used to wear around his neck hangs above the niche.
"I feel like it's exactly in the way of the Pope. He was simple, and so is his place now," said Polish pilgrim Maria Brzezinska after paying her respects.
Visitors began queuing well before the Basilica opened at 7:00 a.m. (0500 GMT). After passing through metal detectors, they entered the church through a so-called Holy Door, only opened during special Holy Years celebrated every 25 years.
Santa Maria Maggiore is one of four basilicas in Rome that have such holy doors. It was founded in 432 and is the only basilica in the city that preserves the early Christian structure, although there have been many later additions.
Francis was especially attached to it because of his devotion to Mary, Mother of God. He prayed there before and after every overseas trip.
A venerated Byzantine icon of Mary is housed in the Pauline chapel near the tomb. A vase of golden roses, donated by Francis in 2023, sits among candlesticks under the icon. He last visited the chapel carrying a bunch of white roses on April 12.
A single white rose was placed on his tomb.
"So much intensity. He was a person close to everyone, so we respect him for what he did, each in our own way. Thank you," said Carmelo Lamurra, a Rome resident.