In August 2024, the World Health Organization once again declared the outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern. Mpox had previously been regarded as a public health emergency in July 2022, before being downgraded a few months later. Before this, the COVID-19 pandemic was the most recent declaration of this type. Cases of mpox have been
, North America, and Asia, regions in which the virus is not endemic. Endemic in disease terms means it is continuously present in a particular geographic area or region. As of the end of June 2024, around 100 thousand
had been reported around the world, with many more suspected cases. The increase in concern by the WHO has been fueled by a
and the discovery of a more contagious variant of the virus. On August 15, 2024, Sweden was the first country outside of Africa to report a case of this more contagious variant.
What is mpox?
The virus which causes mpox originates from the same ‘family’ as
smallpox. However, mpox is significantly less severe than smallpox. Transmission occurs through close contact with an infected person, where the virus can enter through broken skin or areas such as the mouth, nose, and eyes. While mpox is not regarded as sexually transmitted, and experts have found no evidence of it being a
sexually transmitted disease, close contact during sexual activity may allow it to spread easier. Several initial cases in non-endemic regions were reported among men who have sex with men (MSM), although the explanation of this transmission was said to be most likely a coincidental introduction of mpox which then circulated among MSM. To this date, young men have been, by far, the
most affected demographic in terms of reported cases. According to the WHO, symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. Furthermore, a rash can develop which, after initially appearing on the face, can spread to other parts of the body. The rash can be of similar appearance to chickenpox, and then forms a scab that falls off.
What will come of this outbreak?
The WHO marking this outbreak as a public health emergency shows the level of concern among experts. There are many unknowns around the new variant, but there are signs it may be more transmissible and severe. The previous outbreak in 2022 involved a strain known as clade 2, while the 2024 outbreak involves clade 1a and clade 1b. Due to the similarities, the smallpox vaccine provides some protection against mpox. Owing to the success of the vaccination campaign,
smallpox was considered eradicated in 1980, and after this time, routine smallpox vaccination was stopped, meaning that most people today under the age of 50 years old have no immunity against mpox. Although there are vaccines specifically against mpox, huge challenges exist in meeting demand with supply, especially in hotspots such as DR Congo and across Central Africa in general.
Fears of a new pandemic
More than two years of the
COVID-19 pandemic, including restrictions and lockdowns, and first and foremost many deaths, have made the public all over the world very sensitive to news of a new disease outbreak. Polls in the United States already showed that nearly four out of every 10
Americans were concerned about the first outbreak of mpox. Although mpox and COVID-19 are different in many ways, discussions about vaccinations and wearing masks could once again be intensified.
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