Islamabad, Oct 4: WHO Approves First-Ever Diagnostic Test for Mpox, Enhancing Global Health Response.The first Mpox diagnostic test has been approved for use, according to the UN health organization, which is a crucial tool for nations fighting outbreaks. This news was released on Friday. Over 800 individuals have perished due to mumps in Africa, where the illness has been formally identified in 16 nations, as per the African Union’s disease control department.
The World Health Organization stated in a statement that the test’s certification for emergency use “will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing Mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply.”
The test, known as the Alinity m MPXV assay and produced by Abbott Molecular Inc., makes it possible to identify the mpox virus using swabs obtained from lesions on humans. According to the WHO, “lab and healthcare professionals can efficiently and effectively confirm suspected Mpox cases by detecting DNA from pustular or vesicular rash samples.”
“Delays in confirming cases of Mpox persist in Africa and limited testing capacity contribute to the ongoing spread of the virus,” the statement added. According to Yukiko Nakatani, assistant director-general of WHO, the test’s clearance “represents a significant milestone in expanding testing availability in affected countries,” as stated in the release.
“Our efforts to help countries contain the spread of the virus and protect their people, especially in underserved regions, are centered on increasing access to quality-assured medical products,” Nakatani stated.
Previously known as monkeypox, mpox is caused by a virus that is spread to humans by infected animals, though it can also be contracted by intimate personal contact between people. It can be fatal and produces fever, aches in the muscles, and big sores on the skin that resemble boils.
