Abstract

From Editor’s Desk…..

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is still spreading around the world. From 2022 to January 2026, more than 179,600 confirmed cases were documented in 145 countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa is the most affected country, but a newer and more severe form of the virus known as Clade Ib has now been found in Europe, the USA, and parts of Asia, even in people without any travel history. The World Health Organization declared an end to the global health emergency in September 2025, but it is still advising countries to stay alert, strengthen testing, and promote vaccination. People with weakened immune systems, especially those with untreated HIV, are at the high risk.

Measles is spreading rapidly across the United States in 2026, with 1,575 confirmed cases reported in 32 states by late March 2026. This is one of the worst outbreaks the country has seen since measles was declared eliminated back in 2000. The main reason for the surge is a drop in vaccination rates fewer children are receiving the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, with coverage falling from 95.2% in 2019 - 2020 to 92.5% in 2024 - 2025, which is not adequate measure to stop the virus from spreading. The main affected regions is Spartanburg County in South Carolina, where nearly 1,000 people have been infected in a single outbreak that started in October 2025. Around 93% of patients were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine status. Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and warn that the U.S. may officially lose its measles-free status later this year.

These outbreaks together show how quickly infectious diseases can gain ground when prevention systems weaken. Strong immunisation programmes, timely disease monitoring, and international cooperation remain the most effective tools we have to keep these outbreaks under control.

Professor. Mohammed A. Alaidarous
Editor in Chief

Key words: Editorial