Almost 30,000 suspected mpox cases in Africa this year, WHO says

LONDON: Nearly 30,000 suspected mpox cases have been reported in Africa so far this year, most of them in Democratic Republic of Congo where tests have run out, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

More than 800 people died of suspected mpox across the continent in that time, the U.N. health body said in its report. Congo's central African neighbour Burundi has also been hit by a growing outbreak, it added.

Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

The WHO statement did not give comparative figures from previous years. The African Union's public health agency has said 14,957 cases and 739 deaths were reported from seven affected states in 2023 - a 78.5% increase in new cases from 2022.

[TERKINI] Harga minyak melonjak lebih 5 peratus akibat konflik di Asia Barat

Harga minyak mentah global melonjak selepas konflik di Asia Barat semakin meruncing. Pada Khamis, minyak mentah Brent naik 5.03%, menokok kepada $77.62 setong, manakala U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) turut meningkat 5.15% kepada $73.71 setong. Kenaikan ini membawa jumlah peningkatan harga minyak minggu ini melebihi 8%, yang tertinggi sejak Januari lalu.