Aug 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour

and Welfare said on Monday it has received a request from the

Democratic Republic of the Congo for the provision of mpox

vaccines and needles manufactured in the country.

This comes days after the World Health Organization declared

mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two

years as a new variant of the disease spread rapidly in Africa.

The ministry said it was currently preparing to provide

these supplies with the cooperation of the WHO and other

partners.

Japan-based KM Biologics is one of the two manufacturers of

widely used mpox vaccines. Denmark's Bavarian Nordic ( BVNKF )

makes the other vaccine, called Jynneos.