The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it is investigating reports of cases of smallpox in Uganda, a disease considered eradicated by the world for 30 years.
WHO takes reports of smallpox seriously. He knows about reports coming from Uganda and is taking all necessary steps to investigate and verify them, a spokesman for the organization quoted by Reuters said.
He added that similar alerts reported in the past were false – cases of pseudo-smallpox turned out to be chickenpox or monkey pox.
Smallpox is an acute infectious disease with high mortality. It has caused epidemics and pandemics in the past. After fighting it through a immunization program, the WHO announced in 1980 that smallpox had been eradicated in the world. (PAP)