In a recent government meeting, officials discussed the ongoing concerns surrounding mpox, particularly the emergence of clade 1b, which is currently circulating in Central and West Africa. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this variant poses a risk of more severe illness and increased contagion, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 103,000 mpox cases from January 2022 to July 2024, with a death toll ranging between 219 and 223. In July 2024 alone, there were 1,425 reported cases and six deaths. Despite these figures, experts emphasized that other health threats, such as tuberculosis and malaria, present a more significant concern in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where tuberculosis claims approximately 500 lives every four hours and malaria has resulted in 40,000 deaths, primarily among children under five, during the same period.

While mpox is endemic in parts of Africa, officials noted that its transmission differs from COVID-19, as it primarily spreads through close personal contact rather than respiratory droplets. Currently, the risk for U.S. residents remains low. In response to the situation, the WHO is initiating a vaccination campaign using the Jynneos vaccine, which has shown 70% to 80% effectiveness. This campaign will focus on high-risk individuals, including close contacts of recent cases and healthcare workers, to curb the transmission of the virus.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to reconvene in December for further updates on the situation.