The Social and Economic Determinants of Health (SDH)  Programme provides technical support to Member States and WHO to reduce health equity gap through action on the determinants of health.

Smallpox is a contagious disease and kills as many as 30% of those infected. The incubation period of smallpox is usually 12 to 14 days during which there is no evidence of the disease. During this period, the person looks and feels healthy and cannot infect others.

The incubation period is followed by the sudden onset of flu-like symptoms. Two to 3 days later, the temperature falls and the patient feels somewhat better, at which time the characteristic rash appears, first on the face, hands and forearms and after a few days it progresses to the trunk.