Mpox or monkeypox: what you need to know

On 14 August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the simian smallpox epidemic, known as Mpox, to be an “international health emergency” following an outbreak of cases in Africa. The next day, a case was reported in Sweden.

What you need to know about this epidemic

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals, but it can also be transmitted from human to human through close physical contact. Smallpox is characterized by a rash or skin lesions generally concentrated on the face, hands and feet.

In most cases, the disease heals spontaneously within two or three weeks.

Click here for complete information on symptoms and WHO advice in the event of transmission.

New strain of Mpox

Africa is facing the spread of a new strain of the virus, detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in September 2023 and dubbed “clade Ib”, which is more deadly and transmissible than previous strains.

According to the WHO, more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths have been reported since the beginning of the year in the DRC, already exceeding last year’s total. The mortality rate remains below 4%.

The DRC and other African countries have been experiencing Mpox outbreaks for over ten years.

Coordinating the response to the monkeypox epidemic

In July 2022, WHO had already issued a global alert following an outbreak of cases. These alerts are used to coordinate responses and contain epidemics.

On 6 August, WHO urged countries to “share tools such as vaccines and apply lessons learned from previous public health emergencies of international concern to address the current epidemic”.

WHO encourages all countries to strengthen surveillance, share data and work to better understand the transmission of the virus.

There are two licensed and effective vaccines against Mpox.

Several studies have shown that vaccination against “classic” smallpox is 85% effective in preventing Mpox. Previous smallpox vaccination may result in less severe disease. However, the smallpox vaccine has not been administered since the disease was eradicated in 1980.