Spain and Germany have joined global efforts to fight the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa, donating a combined total of 600,000 vaccine doses amid concerns over a deadlier form of the virus spreading globally.

Spain has agreed to donate 500,000 mpox vaccine doses, or 20% of its stockpile, the country’s Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

“It makes no sense to stockpile vaccines where there is no problem, and now is the time to prove it,” the ministry said, urging the European Commission to propose that all EU member states donate 20% of their stockpile.

On Monday, Germany announced plans to donate 100,000 mpox doses to combat the outbreak, which is attributed to a newer, deadlier form of the virus called the Clade 1b variant.

With about 117,000 doses of Jynneos, the FDA-approved mpox vaccine from Danish biotech Bavarian Nordic (OTCPK:BVNRY) (OTCPK:BVNKF), the West European country said it would keep a minimum amount of the stock to vaccinate individuals such as traveling officials. Other vaccine makers with mpox products include Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS).

The donations coincide with recently detected mpox cases linked to the Clade 1b variant in Sweden and Thailand. The WHO has already declared the current mpox outbreak a global public health emergency, its second such declaration issued within the last two years.