Background
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Pathogen: Mpox (formerly known as “monkeypox”) has two main clades: Clade 1 and Clade 2 (each is further subdivided into 1a/1b and 2a/2b). The global outbreak in 2022–2023 was driven by Clade 2b, which still circulates globally in humans. An outbreak of Clade 1 has also been ongoing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since autumn 2023. In 2025, the spread of Clade 2 increased in West Africa.
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Transmission: Mpox is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans. It can also spread between humans, especially via close physical contact, including skin‑to‑skin contact, sexual contact, lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets in close proximity, and indirect contact via contaminated materials. Travel-associated cases have been significant in spreading Mpox outside of Africa, where it is endemic.
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Sources and risk factors: The risk of contracting Mpox is relatively elevated for individuals engaging in new sexual contacts in regions where Mpox is actively circulating (both Clade 1 and 2). Individuals in such regions are at risk, especially when they come in to close contact with local transmission chains. Countries in Africa with ongoing Mpox Clade 1 spread include, among others, DRC, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, and Mozambique. The spread of Clade 2 increased in some West African countries in 2025.
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Seasonality: There is no seasonality, as Mpox outbreaks are driven more by contact patterns, travel, and local transmission dynamics. Patterns may vary by region.
Brief Summary of the Outbreak
On 14th August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The international outbreak included Mpox viruses from both Clade 1 and Clade 2; Clade 2b drove an earlier global spread, while Clade 1 has circulated in DRC and, increasingly, in other African countries since late 2023.
International health agencies published reports on Mpox transmission in both endemic and non‑endemic regions. In December 2024, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC) compiled the Weekly Epidemic Intelligence Report, offering detailed insights into emerging and ongoing public health events across Africa that includes details on Mpox. In January 2025, WHO released its External Situation Report to summarise the global epidemiological status of the ongoing multi-country Mpox outbreak. The outbreak continued into 2025, with fluctuating incidence by country, and increased spread of Clade 2 in West Africa throughout 2025. Most cases outside of Africa during this outbreak were travel‑associated or linked to known transmission chains. For example, a case of Mpox was identified in Sweden in August 2024, and was found to be related to travel from an outbreak-affected country.
The PHEIC status was active until 5th September 2025, though Africa CDC still considered Mpox to be a continental emergency.
Outbreak Timeline
| YEAR | DATE | OBSERVATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 August | Mpox outbreak in DRC (Clade 1) spreads to neighboring African countries. |
| 2024 | 14 August | WHO declares Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). |
| 2024 | 15 August | First reported Mpox Clade 1 case in Sweden. |
| 2024 | 23 August | Approximately 19,600 cases reported in DRC in 2024 by mid-August. Clade 1b spread reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda. |
| 2024 | 28 November | Vaccination begins in DRC, Rwanda, Nigeria with more than 50,000 vaccinated in DRC. |
| 2024 | December | Cases in Africa increase and global case reports indicate that there are new cases in EU/US/Asia (mostly travel‑related). |
| 2025 | 16 January | Continued spread both within and outside of Africa. Cases outside of Africa are all related to recent travel to endemic regions. |
| 2025 | 14 February | Mpox Clade 1 cases reported in multiple countries. Cases are detected in multiple European countries. All cases are related to recent travel to endemic regions, or close contact with those that have travelled to those regions. |
| 2025 | 12 March | Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania record new cases related to community transmission according to WHO. |
| 2025 | 16 April | In week 15, the UK reports a Clade 1b case without travel history. |
| 2025 | April - May | The number of cases in Africa declined over a 6-week span in Africa. However, there was country-level variation. Vaccination campaign ongoing in Africa (6+ countries). |
| 2025 | 28 May | Sierra Leone reports increased Clade 2 cases. Malawi reports its first Clade 1 case. Cases related to recent travel to endemic regions identified in Australia, Thailand. |
| 2025 | 26 June | Clade 1 increased in Ethiopia.African CDC and WHO assess community transmission in Ethiopia. |
| 2025 | 31 July | Mpox spreads as new first Clade 1b outbreak in Mozambique and Clade 2 widespread in Sierra Leone, Guinea. |
| 2025 | 4 September | WHO declares an end to the PHEIC status as the total number of Mpox cases in Africa are decreasing in many countries. However, Africa CDC continues to consider Mpox a continental emergency |
Data Visualisation
- Global Mpox Trend summarises the global Mpox surveillance established by WHO in 2022.