The UN health agency on Monday launched a six-month plan to help stanch outbreaks of mpox transmission, including ramping up staffing in affected countries and boosting surveillance, prevention and response strategies. The World Health Organization said it expects the plan from September through February next year will require US$135 million in funding and aims to improve fair access to vaccines, notably in African countries hardest hit by the outbreak. "The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. In its latest update on the outbreak, the African Centers for Disease Control reported that as of Thursday, more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 deaths have been reported this year in 12 African countries.