Aug 17 (Reuters) - Danish biotech firm Bavarian Nordic ( BVNKF )

said on Saturday it plans to ramp up production of its

mpox vaccine and work with international health organisations to

ensure fair access as the disease has been declared a global

public health emergency.

The company, one of the few drug firms that have an mpox

vaccine, said it has informed the Africa Centres for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) that it can manufacture 10 million

doses of the vaccine by the end of 2025, and could already

supply up to 2 million doses this year.

The company said that it is expanding its production network

to include Africa, and is prepared to work with Africa CDC as

well as the World Health Organization (WHO) to make the vaccine

accessible to all countries.

Earlier this week, the WHO declared mpox a global public

health emergency for the second time in two years.

The viral infection, which causes pus-filled lesions and

flu-like symptoms, is usually mild but can kill. Two strains are

now spreading in Congo and neighbouring countries - the endemic

form of the virus, clade I, and a new offshoot called clade Ib.

There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths,

mainly among children, in Congo since the current outbreak began

in January 2023.