The UN World Health Organization (WHO) declared on August 14, 2024, that the recent upsurge in mpox cases constitutes “a public health emergency of international concern,” the organization’s highest alert level. The next day, Sweden confirmed the first case of the new strain, mpox Clade 1, to be diagnosed outside Africa.
As of August 21, 2024, there have been more than 17,000 suspected cases of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) reported in Africa since the beginning of the year—a significant increase in the total suspected cases in 2023. The current consensus states that the rise in cases is due to the new mpox Clade 1 strain. Mpox Clade 2 was the milder variant behind 2022’s global outbreak of less severe infections. More than 99.9% of those infected with mpox Clade 2 survive. Compared to Clade 2, Clade 1 typically causes a higher percentage of people with mpox to get severely sick—it can also cause fatalities—per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); some outbreaks of Clade 1 were reported to have killed up to 10% of people who got sick.
The latest global health emergency declaration is the result of an IHR Emergency Committee decision, which met to review data presented by experts from WHO and affected countries. There are concerns that the disease could spread further across Africa and across continents, however, Mpox is “not the ‘new COVID,’” a top WHO official said on August 20. At the time of publication, no cases of Clade 1 mpox have been reported in the United States.
Following WHO’s announcement, there have been instances of mpox misinformation and disinformation going viral on social media, as USA Today reported Tuesday. Platforms such as X, Meta, and TikTok have pages outlining their policies on combatting the spread of misinformation and misleading content, but the most reliable sources for information concerning mpox remain the official channels of public health organizations such as the WHO and the CDC.
Do I need the mpox vaccine to travel?
As of August 21, 2024, there is no official call for general travelers to be vaccinated against mpox ahead of their trips.
However, the CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice on August 7, 2024, regarding travel to DRC and neighboring countries. The notice advises travelers to “practice enhanced precautions,” which includes vaccinating with both doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine at least 28 days apart as soon as possible if you visit DRC or its neighboring countries (Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda). While there is currently no official recommendation for how far in advance travelers should receive the second dose prior to their trip, the CDC notes that “it takes two weeks after the second dose to be the most protected.” Research on how long protection lasts is ongoing, with studies being conducted on data from the most recent outbreak. All of the CDC’s advisories on travel to those countries can be found on their respective Travel Health Notice pages, and updates on the effectiveness of the JYNNEOS vaccine can be found on their mpox vaccination recommendations page.
