An mpox vaccine has been approved for the first time – a move expected to improve access to the drug and slow the epidemic in Africa, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.
The approval, known as a pre-qualification, came as the first batches of MVA-BN vaccines arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicentre of the disease outbreak, and Morocco confirmed a case of Mpox in a man in Marrakesh.
“This first prequalification 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,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“We now need urgent scale-up in procurement, donations and roll-out to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most … to prevent infections, stop transmission and save lives.”
Across the continent there were 107 new mpox-related deaths in the previous week, the regional health body has said.
“We lost 107 [people]. It’s too much. It’s not acceptable,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, as he emphasised the need for stronger cross-border surveillance.
A place on the WHO's prequalification list paves the way for the United Nations and international agencies to buy the drug. The list is also used by lower-income countries without the means to carry out their own drug evaluation testing.
“The WHO prequalification of the MVA-BN vaccine will help accelerate continuing procurement of the mpox vaccines by governments and international agencies … on the front lines of the continuing emergency in Africa and beyond,” said Yukiko Nakatani, WHO's assistant chief in charge of access to medicines and health products.
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.
The vaccine can be administered to people over the age of 18 as a two-dose injection given four weeks apart. As most mpox cases and deaths in the DRC are children, WHO stressed that the vaccine could also be used “off-label” for infants, children and adolescents, and pregnant and immunocompromised people.
“This means vaccine use is recommended in outbreak settings where the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks,” WHO said.
The organisation declared an international emergency over mpox last month, concerned by the surge in cases of the new clade 1b strain in the DR Congo and its spread to nearby countries. DR Congo has recorded nearly 22,000 cases and 716 deaths linked to the virus since January. About 200,000 vaccine doses have been delivered to the country so far by the European Union, and 50,000 from the United States.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
