German infection expert: mpox vaccine's best use is in Africa right now

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German infection expert on Friday called for existing mpox vaccine supplies to be shipped to Africa, where they would have the greatest potential to tackle the disease, even after a case of a new, worrying form of the virus was diagnosed in Europe.

"The vaccines that are available globally are urgently needed in Africa, urgently needed in regions where the virus is currently spreading ... so that the people at risk there can build immunity," Leif Erik Sander, a professor and head of infectious disease at Charite, Germany’s largest university hospital, told Reuters.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on Friday raised its risk level for mpox, a day after global health officials confirmed the first infection with a new strain of the virus outside Africa, in Sweden.

Sander said that further global spread was "bound to happen" because of the connected world we live in, but in developed regions like Europe, the risk of harm was relatively low for now.

"With the experience from the past outbreak in 2022, many communities have a high level of awareness. They know the disease, ... we also had vaccination campaigns in Germany and other countries so there might be some pre-existing immunity," the professor said.

He said it was paramount to test people with symptoms everywhere and do everything to curb an outbreak in Germany and Europe, but available vaccine doses should be put to best use in Africa, where many regions have poorly developed healthcare systems.The head of global vaccine group Gavi told Reuters on Thursday it has up to $500 million to spend on getting shots to countries affected by the escalating outbreak in Africa.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Mark Potter)