Going viral What is mpox and why has it been declared a global health emergency?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest mpox outbreak in Africa a "public health emergency of international concern", the category used in the past for Ebola outbreaks and Covid-19. As fears of a global spread grow, this is what we know.

- Kat Lay

What is mpox?

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by a virus. Flu-like symptoms including fever, chills and muscle aches are typically followed by a rash that starts as raised spots, which turn into blisters and then form scabs.

There are broadly two different types, known as "clades". Clade I was once known as the Congo Basin clade, and clade II as the West African clade. Both can be fatal, although clade I historically has a higher death rate.

What does the WHO emergency declaration mean?

It is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action, accelerating access to testing, vaccines and therapeutic drugs, and reducing stigma. But the global response to previous declarations has been mixed and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that Africa's international partners have largely ignored the problem.

Where are infections happening?