A severe outbreak of a new variant of mpox with a death rate of 10% triggered the WHO to declare a global health emergency last week.
Formerly known as monkeypox and closely related to smallpox, the virus has killed over 500 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the outbreak is centred.
Cases of the new varient are now being reported outside of Afica but widespread transmission is considered unlikely by epidemiologists.
To give us the low down on mpox we're being joined by Cambridge University clinical virologist and naked scientist Dr Chris Smith - who was our go-to guy as the Covid pandemic unfolded.
Photo: SERGII IAREMENKO/SCIENCE PHOTO L / SIA / Science Photo Library via AFP
