Pope Francis used his weekly Angelus prayer on Sunday to draw attention to the victims of the Mpox virus and urged governments and the pharmaceutical industry to increase efforts to provide vaccines to the hardest-hit regions.
“I pray for all those infected, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been severely affected. I express my solidarity with the local churches most impacted by this disease,” the Pope said from St. Peter’s Square.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the surge in Mpox cases across DR Congo and other African nations a global health emergency and called for greater production and equitable distribution of vaccines.
“I encourage governments and private industry to share technology and available treatments to ensure no one is deprived of appropriate medical care,” Pope Francis added.
Mpox, known for decades, has seen a resurgence due to a more deadly and transmissible strain, Clade 1b, which has fueled the recent spike in cases. The WHO reports that Clade 1b has a fatality rate of approximately 3.6%, with children being particularly vulnerable.
The virus has claimed more than 570 lives in DR Congo this year, with outbreaks reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July. Sweden reported Europe’s first case last week. The Mpox virus can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close physical contact.
