Mpox is a disease caused by a virus. People with mpox get a rash that may be located near their genitals or on other areas such as the hands, chest or face. While the disease is not often fatal, it can be very painful.
The U.S. and other countries experienced an mpox outbreak in 2022, peaking in the summertime. Thanks to a strong public health response, the U.S. mpox emergency ended on January 31, 2023, and the World Health Organization followed suit on May 11, 2023, declaring mpox was no longer a global health emergency.
A new strain of mpox appeared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 and has been spreading, with cases appearing in neighboring countries and the first confirmed case outside of Africa identified in August of 2024. This new virus strain, clad 1b, appears to be more contagious and severe. In the first seven months of 2024, there have been more than 15,600 reported cases and 537 deaths. The situation led the WHO on August 14, 2024 to declare this mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
Community spread of the 2022 strains of mpox continues in the U.S.
The populations most affected by mpox continue to be gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men as well as transgender and nonbinary people, with a disproportionate number of cases among Black and Hispanic or Latino men.
Vaccination is essential to address the potential increase in mpox cases during summer events. People who have been exposed to mpox and those who may be more likely to get the disease should be vaccinated. To get the vaccine, contact your health care provider or local health department.
Note: APHA is using the term "mpox" instead of "monkeypox" per the November 2022 recommendation from the WHO. Previously produced pieces and external links may still use “monkeypox.”
Mpox resources
Webinar
Mpox: The State of the Science
APHA and the National Academy of Medicine hosted this free webinar on Aug. 18, 2022. A panel of experts discussed the current state of the science of mpox, the disease epidemiology as we understand it today, available and emergent prevention options, critical research questions we need to answer, and what we should consider and plan for as we respond to this outbreak.
Watch the recording on APHA Now.