Is mpox virus a pandemic? What to know about monkeypox outbreak

An mpox outbreak, formerly known as monkeypox, has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global emergency to help curb the virus’ transmission, which is currently upsurging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and an increasing number of other countries in Africa.

Even though the infectious disease is surging in a continent an ocean away, mpox isn’t isolated to just the African continent. There are hundreds of cases of mpox reported in the United States every year, including in Florida.

Here is what you should know about mpox and what the global health emergency means.

What is mpox (formerly known as monkeypox)?

Mpox is a highly infectious disease that has similar symptoms to smallpox, but it’s less severe, according to WHO. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans. It can also spread from human to human through contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or internal mucosal surfaces like in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.

What are the two types of mpox?

Mpox comes in two distinct types: Clade I, which was previously known as the Congo Basin clade, and Clade II, which was formerly known as the west African Clade.

Clade I — Clade I mpox is the more severe disease. It’s more contagious than its counterpart and causes more severe illness and death.

Clade II — Clade II is less severe. It fueled the 2022 global outbreak, according to the Miami Herald, which led to more than 32,000 infections in the U.S.

Are there mpox cases in the US?

Yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded more than 1,000 mpox cases in the U.S. this year. So far, none of those cases are caused by the Clade I strain, which is what’s fueling the current outbreak in Africa.

Are there mpox cases in Florida?

Florida has had more than 100 mpox cases this year, more than half of which have involved South Florida residents, the Miami Herald reports.

How do you test for mpox?

Testing for mpox involves evaluating symptoms, such as fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, along with a detailed history of potential exposure.

The primary diagnostic method is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, which detects the virus’s genetic material in samples taken from skin lesions.

These samples, often swabs from vesicles, pustules or scabs, are analyzed to confirm the presence of the mpox virus. In some cases, blood tests may also be used to detect antibodies, but PCR remains the gold standard for acute diagnosis. Once confirmed, cases are typically reported to public health authorities for monitoring and response.

A deadlier strain of the virus has been found in four previously unaffected provinces in Africa, which had previously been contained to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

More than 17,000 cases and 500 deaths have been reported in 13 African countries this year, according to the Africa CDC. More than 14,000 were reported this month from the DRC.

In 2022, the United States declared monkeypox a public health emergency. It was part of an mpox outbreak that had reported cases spread across all 50 states.

Mpox symptoms

Mpox symptoms include a fever with an extensive rash and swollen lymph nodes, according to WHO.

Mpox symptoms in the febrile stage, which lasts between one to three days, include:

• fever
• intense headache
• lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes)
• back pain
• myalgia (muscle ache)
• intense asthenia (lack of energy)

The mpox skin eruption stage lasts two to four weeks and includes lesions that evolve from macules (lesions with a flat base) to papules (raised firm, painful lesions) to vesicles (filled with clear fluid) to pustules (filled with pus), followed by scabs or crusts.

Mpox treatment

Treatment for mpox can depend on the infection and the symptoms. Prevention is one of the best methods to treat any disease. This can be done by avoiding close contact with an infected person or contaminated materials.

Receiving the smallpox vaccination is another great way to avoid infection. According to the WHO, the smallpox vaccination with first-generation vaccinia virus-based smallpox vaccine was shown to be 85% effective in preventing mpox in the past.

There are also many therapeutics that are being tested and developed that aren’t available yet.

Will there be an mpox pandemic?

The current mpox outbreak isn’t likely to be anything like the COVID-19 pandemic that wrecked havoc on millions around the world in 2020. The CDC states that there have been no clade I mpox reported outside of central and eastern Africa at this time, and estimates that the risk to the general public from the strain is very low.