Records 900 Infection Cases In 19 Member Countries, European Union Purchases 110,000 Doses Of Monkeypox Vaccine

Vaccination illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Mos.ru)

JAKARTA - The European Union has decided to secure the supply of monkeypox vaccine, after the number of cases of infection with the disease continues to grow, including the number of countries reporting infections.

In a statement Tuesday, the European Union Commission and the Bavarian Nordic side announced the signing of a supply agreement for the monkeypox vaccine, with a total of about 110,000 doses.

The vaccine will be purchased with EU funds and delivered to EU countries, said EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. The dose should be administered in proportion to the population, starting with the state with the most urgent need.

Later, deliveries will begin soon and will be completed in the coming months, the company said. It boosts its prospects for financial results this year, following a deal with the EU and other minor deals for its vaccine supply.

It is known that about 900 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 19 EU countries as well as in Norway and Iceland, which are eligible to receive doses even though they are not EU members, the Commission said.

As for the Danish Biotech Bavarian Nordic vaccine, known as Imvanex in Europe and Jynneos in the United States, has been approved against smallpox.

Indeed, the vaccine has not yet been approved in the European Union against monkeypox, the EU Commission said.

"However, the smallpox vaccine also protects people from monkeypox, because this virus is closely related to the smallpox virus," explained the KPPU, launched by Reuters on June 14.

In addition, the European Union's drug regulator is currently in talks with the Bavarian Nordic for rapid approval of a vaccine against monkeypox, the Commission said.

To note, several European Union states, including Germany and Spain, have previously ordered orders for the monkeypox vaccine independently.