Alessandro Vespignani

Sponsor: WHO

Epidemiology & Analytics for Response – Agreement for Performance of Work

A dangerous new variant of monkeypox virus emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo in late 2023 and quickly spread across borders, creating challenges for health officials trying to track and contain outbreaks in regions with limited surveillance capabilities. Researchers are developing sophisticated statistical models that combine case reports from countries with strong monitoring systems alongside commercial travel data to estimate the true size of outbreaks in affected areas where testing and reporting may be incomplete. This approach will help fill critical gaps in our understanding of how fast the virus is spreading and where resources are most urgently needed. By providing more accurate outbreak size estimates, this research aims to support better decision-making by public health authorities working to control the spread of this emerging infectious disease threat.