South Africa: Mpox outbreak in Africa was neglected, and it could now turn into the next global pandemic

The mpox outbreak in Africa is yet another example of how infectious diseases perceived to be “someone else’s problem”, and affecting mainly poor, developing countries, may suddenly pose unexpected global threats.

Other examples of neglected diseases include the West Nile, Zika and Chikungunya viruses.

Mpox was discovered in 1958 (in captive monkeys, hence the original misnomer “monkeypox”) and the first human case was identified in 1970. Then for decades it was largely neglected…