Timeline of the Mpox epidemic from its discovery in humans to recent global vaccination efforts:

1958: Discovery in Animals

Mpox was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, leading to its initial name, Monkeypox. The virus is related to smallpox but is less severe.

1970: First Human Case

The first human case was detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), then called Zaire.

2003: First Outbreak Outside Africa

In June 2003, the virus spread outside Africa for the first time, surfacing in the United States. It is believed to have been transmitted through rodents imported from Ghana. The outbreak involved 87 cases, with no fatalities.

2017: Major Outbreak in Nigeria

Nigeria experienced a significant outbreak in 2017, with more than 200 confirmed cases, 500 suspected cases, and a fatality rate of around 3%. Sporadic cases were later reported globally in travelers from Nigeria.

May 2022: Global Surge

In May 2022, clade 2 of the virus spread globally, primarily affecting gay and bisexual men in Europe and the U.S. The WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in July 2022. By May 2023, after vaccination and awareness campaigns, the WHO lifted the emergency, reporting 140 deaths out of 87,400 cases worldwide.

2024: New Epidemic and Global Alert

In 2024, a new outbreak emerged in the DRC involving clade 1 and a newly identified strain called clade 1b. Clade 1b also appeared in nearby Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

As of October 3, 2024, the outbreak in 16 African countries recorded 34,297 cases, with the DRC being the epicenter (30,000 cases, 988 deaths).

Rwanda began its first vaccination campaign on September 17, 2024, and the DRC followed on October 5, 2024, receiving 265,000 vaccine doses from the EU and the U.S. The U.S. plans to donate one million doses to African nations.

The resurgence in 2024 prompted the WHO to declare another international emergency in mid-August.