New Delhi, Oct 4 (Agency)
The WHO has listed the first mpox in vitro diagnostic (IVD) under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, an important step in improving global access to mpox testing, a statement said on Friday.In 2024, over 30 000 suspected cases have been reported across Africa, with the highest numbers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Nigeria. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only 37% of suspected cases have been tested this year, World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The presence of the monkeypox virus is confirmed by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), such as real-time or conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as stated in the WHO Interim Guidance on Diagnostic testing for the monkeypox virus (MPXV).”This first mpox diagnostic test listed under the Emergency Use Listing procedure represents a significant milestone in expanding testing availability in affected countries,” WHO said.