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The World Health Organization authorized Abbott Laboratories' mpox diagnostic test for emergency use on Thursday, the first such approval in the agency's effort to bolster testing capabilities in countries facing outbreaks of the disease. The real-time PCR test, Alinity m MPXV assay, enables detection of mpox virus DNA from human skin lesion swabs, the WHO said, adding that it was designed for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel. (10/3)

Ghana's health service has reported the country's first case of mpox this year, without disclosing which variant had been recorded, according to a statement. A health official told Reuters that testing was underway to determine whether it was the clade Ib form of the mpox virus that has triggered global concern, as it appears to be spreading quickly and little is known about the strain. (10/3)

As cases of mpox steadily increase across the African continent, some 68% of them don’t have an epidemiological link — meaning they’re popping up among people that health workers aren’t monitoring and who aren’t known to have been in contact with previously identified cases. “This is a major concern,” said Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya during a press briefing, noting that there are concerning gaps in the continental response in areas of surveillance, contact tracing, and data collection. (Jerving, 10/2)

California-based Gilead Sciences said on Thursday it would donate about 5,000 vials of its antiviral drug remdesivir to the Rwanda Medical Supply for emergency use in response to the Marburg virus outbreak. The drug is being supplied in conjunction with Rwanda's health ministry and the Africa Centers for Disease Control, Gilead said. (10/3)