WHO Approves First Mpox PCR Test
The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first diagnostic test for mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. The PCR test detects 'DNA from pustular or vesicular rash samples' from skin lesions, according to the agency....
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Facts
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first diagnostic test for mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. The PCR test detects 'DNA from pustular or vesicular rash samples' from skin lesions, according to the agency.[1][2]
- The approval of the test, named Alinity m MPXV assay and developed by Abbott Laboratories, comes as the WHO is reviewing three diagnostic tests for emergency use.[3]
- The WHO is using its emergency authorization while two strains of mpox are now spreading: the clade 1 variant, which is endemic in West and Central Africa; and the clade 1b variant, which has been found across the globe, including India, Thailand, and Sweden.[4]
- In August, the global health body declared mpox a global emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that spread to Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda.[3]
- According to the WHO, 37% of suspected cases in the DRC have been tested this year, with at least 635 people dying from the virus in the country and over 800 dying across the continent of Africa.[4][1]
- Ghana recently became the latest country to confirm a case of the clade 1b strain, with its health department claiming to be tracking 25 potential other cases. There have been more than 30K suspected cases across Africa.[5][2]
Sources: [1]BBC News, [2]WHO, [3]Reuters, [4]Al Jazeera and [5]Africanews.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Harvard Health. Since the WHO declared mpox an emergency in August, the global health community has ramped up its public health regimens. While this robust program has included both testing and treatments, roadblocks — including vaccine hesitancy and lack of funding — still persist. It's now paramount that every country, particularly in Africa where the virus is endemic, begin looking for flu-like symptoms and conducting mass testing and vaccinations.
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Youtube. Despite the WHO's confidence, it appears the global health body is making all the same mistakes it did with COVID. We don't actually know if there are multiple strains, nor is it clear if this is an animal-to-human virus or a sexually transmitted disease. The world can't even rely on the efficacy of these emerging PCR tests, but what it can expect is for the WHO to push for experimental treatment mandates and censorship.
