‘The tip of the iceberg’: McMaster experts available to discuss new mpox variant
The spread of a new, more dangerous variant of mpox has pushed the World Health Organization to designate the virus a public health emergency of international concern.
The virus, which has been endemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several other African countries for many years, has now been detected in Sweden and most recently Thailand.
Below you will find McMaster University experts who are available to speak on mpox and story threads you may wish to follow up on.
Available experts:
Zain Chagla, associate professor in McMaster University’s Department of Medicine and a member of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research.
- Expertise: the virus, how it spreads, who is at risk, and how to stay safe from infection.
- “We are very likely only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” says Chalga in this explainer.
- You can set up an interview with him directly by emailing chaglaz@mcmaster.ca.
Mark Loeb, a professor with McMaster’s Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine.
- Expertise: the virus, its growing impact in Africa, and his concerns about the various unknowns
- Loeb is leading a clinical trial in Africa that will assess whether a smallpox vaccine can provide protection against mpox after someone has come in contact with the infection.
- You can set up an interview with him directly by emailing loebm@mcmaster.ca.