Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus, Poxviridae family, which also includes variola, vaccinia and cowpox viruses [1][2]. Two distinct clades of the virus circulate: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb) [1]. Following global expert consultation, WHO now uses "mpox" as a preferred synonym for monkeypox [3].
Disease overview
Monkeypox
猴痘
Evidence-backed informationEN 5/7 applicable sections · ZH 5/7 applicable sectionsUpdated Sep 3, 2026
Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), an Orthopoxvirus in the Poxviridae family [1][2]. The disease spreads mainly through close contact with infected persons and, in endemic settings, from infected animals to humans, and has caused both sporadic African outbreaks and a global public health emergency since 2022 [3][4]. Most patients experience a self-limiting illness with rash and systemic symptoms, but certain populations may develop severe disease [1][2].
Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile6
Common symptoms include a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy; most patients fully recover, although some develop severe illness [1][5]. The rash typically begins on the face and spreads to the body including the palms and soles, but may start at sites of contact such as the genitals, progressing through macules, papules, vesicles and pustules before forming scabs over two to four weeks [5][4]. Symptoms usually begin within a week of exposure but can start 1–21 days afterwards, and lesions can leave scars [5][2]. Complications requiring medical attention have been reported in up to 40% of patients during the 2022 outbreak and include rectal pain, odynophagia, penile oedema, and skin and anorectal abscesses [2].
The first human case of mpox was detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970, and the disease has since caused sporadic infections and outbreaks mainly restricted to some countries in west and central Africa [2]. A global outbreak of clade IIb MPXV spread to at least 118 countries, affected more than 99,000 persons worldwide, and resulted in a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) from July 2022 to May 2023, with over 33,000 infections and 60 deaths reported in the United States [4]. In 2024, the United States has recorded approximately 200 new infections per month, and on August 14, 2024, WHO declared mpox a PHEIC for a second time due to a rapid rise in clade I MPXV infections in Central Africa, with clade Ib subsequently detected beyond Africa [1][4]. Clade IIb MPXV is typically a self-limited illness with a case-fatality rate under 0.2% in the United States, while the case-fatality rate in the 2022 outbreak has been reported below 0.1% [4][2].
Person-to-person transmission occurs mainly through close contact with an infected individual, including skin-to-skin contact (such as touching or sex), mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact (such as kissing), and face-to-face exposure that can generate infectious respiratory particles [3][1][5]. Transmission can also occur through exposure to bodily fluids, skin or mucosal lesions, respiratory particles, and contaminated objects such as clothing or linen, and has been documented through needle injuries in health care and in community settings such as tattoo parlours [1][5]. During the 2022 global outbreak, the virus spread predominantly through sexual contact, and the virus may also be transmitted during pregnancy or birth to the baby [1][4]. Zoonotic transmission can occur through bites, scratches, or activities such as hunting, skinning, trapping or preparing meat from infected animals, or through eating insufficiently cooked contaminated meat, with small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys being susceptible hosts in tropical rainforest areas of central, east and west Africa [3][1][5].
Mpox vaccination can prevent infection when administered before exposure and is recommended for people at high risk of infection, especially during outbreaks [1]. The vaccine can also be used after exposure as post-exposure prophylaxis and should ideally be given within four days of contact with a case, though it may still be administered up to 14 days if illness has not developed [1]. Reducing zoonotic risk involves avoiding unprotected contact with wild animals, especially those that are sick or dead (including their meat and blood), and ensuring that foods containing animal parts are cooked thoroughly [3][1]. Limiting sexual contact with multiple partners and avoiding close contact with individuals who have mpox are additional measures that reduce person-to-person transmission [1].
- 1World Health Organization. Mpox [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mpox
- 2Mitjà O et al. Monkeypox. Lancet. 2023 Jan 7. PMID: 36403582. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02075-X.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36403582/
- 3World Health Organization. Mpox [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/mpox
- 4Titanji BK et al. Mpox Clinical Presentation, Diagnostic Approaches, and Treatment Strategies: A Review. JAMA. 2024 Nov 19. PMID: 39401235. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.21091.PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39401235/
- 5World Health Organization. Mpox [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026.Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/mpox
- B04
- 1E71
Coverage
Reporting countries and regions
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Monthly patterns over time
Research Radar
Recent related research
Emerging infectious diseases (Mpox, Nipah, and Andes): A narrative review of transmission, environmental survival, and disinfection.
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MPOX: ASPECTOS GERAIS E O USO DA ABORDAGEM <i>ONE HEALTH</i> NO CONTEXTO DESSA ZOONOSE VIRAL
RECIMA21 - Revista Científica Multidisciplinar - ISSN 2675-6218
Showing 5 of 45 related publications.
Literature links are provided for discovery and do not alter or validate the surveillance series above.
Data access
Page dataset index with source links and update metadata.
Official sourcesAuthority, cadence, notes43
Australia NINDSS
Australia
Australian national notifiable diseases surveillance dashboard.
Australia NINDSS — Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Australian Capital Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — New South Wales
New South Wales, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for New South Wales, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Northern Territory
Northern Territory, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Northern Territory, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Queensland
Queensland, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Queensland, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — South Australia
South Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for South Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Tasmania
Tasmania, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Tasmania, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Victoria
Victoria, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Victoria, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Australia NINDSS — Western Australia
Western Australia, Australia
Australian NINDSS monthly state/territory notifications for Western Australia, kept separate from the Australia national aggregate.
Public Health Ontario IDTO Monthly
Ontario, Canada
Ontario-level current-year preliminary monthly case counts from Public Health Ontario's IDTO report.
Switzerland FOPH IDD
Switzerland
Switzerland FOPH/BAG IDD mandatory reporting API normalized to national case rows. Monthly series may use the dashboard CHFL aggregate where CH-only monthly series are not exposed.
China CDC Weekly
China
Monthly notifiable infectious disease reports published by China CDC.
National Disease Control and Prevention Administration
China
Official China public health bulletin and query portal.
PubMed
China
Biomedical literature discovery feed used as supplementary context.
Public Health Science Data Center
Anhui, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Anhui, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Chongqing, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Chongqing, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Guangdong, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Guangdong, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Gansu, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Gansu, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Henan, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Henan, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Jiangsu, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Jiangsu, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Sichuan, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Sichuan, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Shanghai, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Shanghai, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Xinjiang, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Xinjiang, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Public Health Science Data Center
Zhejiang, China
Chinese province-level historical monthly observations; this higher-priority source overlays overlapping official monthly reports.
Provincial statutory infectious disease monthly report
Zhejiang, China
Province-level statutory infectious disease report published by the responsible health authority.
Hong Kong, China CHP Notifiable Diseases
Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China CHP annual notifiable infectious disease CSVs normalized to national monthly totals
JP NIID Weekly
Japan
Japan weekly infectious disease surveillance via NIID/JIHS.
Korea KDCA EID
South Korea
Korea KDCA notifiable infectious disease OpenAPI or portal/KOSIS downloads aggregated to national monthly notification counts.
Norway FHI MSIS Statistics Bank
Norway
Norway FHI MSIS national monthly notifications from the official Allvis frontend API; adapter contract checks guard the unversioned endpoint.
New Zealand PHF Science Monthly Notifiable Diseases
New Zealand
PHF Science (formerly ESR) monthly notifiable disease surveillance data via internal globalID2 crawler
Singapore CDA Weekly Infectious Diseases Bulletin
Singapore
Singapore national weekly case notifications, combining the official data.gov.sg 2012–2022 CSV history with CDA annual workbooks from 2023 onward; 2023 weekly PDFs are retained as a source fallback.
Taiwan, China CDC NIDSS
Taiwan, China
Taiwan, China monthly notifiable infectious disease open-data CSV feed.
US CDC NNDSS
United States
CDC National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System provisional data.
US CDC NHSS HIV
United States
CDC NNDSS weekly data plus NHSS annual national HIV diagnoses