So The Rumbling Continues -- On The Islands In The Nearby Indian Ocean, Off To The East Of The African Continent...

This, as my graphic suggests. . . is exactly how an epidemic gets out of hand. It starts as an outbreak. . . but life (as ever) finds a way. . . to cross borders, and sail waters.

Then, eventually, without proactive highly effective vaccinations / interventions. . . whole chains of islands are. . . afflicted. Here's the latest, from ReliefWeb, quoting UNICEF:

. . .The Government of the Union of the Comoros declared an mpox outbreak on 23 January 2026, with seven confirmed cases reported to date, including two locally transmitted cases. No deaths have been reported, with four patients recovered and three currently under care in designated treatment facilities.

Cross-border transmission risk remains high, linked to population movements with Madagascar and Mayotte, where mpox cases have also been reported.

National response activated, including enhanced surveillance at points of entry, contact tracing, and local PCR diagnostic capacity.

UNICEF is supporting the Government-led response, focusing on risk communication and community engagement, community-based surveillance and strengthening infection prevention and control across health facilities. . . .

These epidemics -- all preventable -- will be the enduring legacy of Trump's wrong-headed cuts to USAID. Damn.

नमस्ते