This Disease Outbreak News on the multi-country monkeypox outbreak is an update to the previously published Disease Outbreak News of 4 June, with updated data, some further detail on clinical description of cases, measures to increase the safety of gatherings, and again provides summaries of guidance, including on vaccination.
Outbreak at a glance
Since 13 May 2022, cases of monkeypox have been reported to WHO from 28 Member States across four WHO regions (the Region of the Americas as well as the European, Eastern Mediterranean, and Western Pacific Regions) where monkeypox is not usual or has not previously been reported (Figure 1). In addition, since the beginning of the year, there are 1,536 suspected cases reported from eight countries in the WHO African Region, of which 59 cases have been confirmed and 72 deaths reported.
The continuous detection of the virus and deaths reported in some countries in the African Region highlight the need to better understand the source, transmission dynamics and provide people with the information and support they need to protect themselves and others in a range of different contexts.
While epidemiological investigations are ongoing, most reported cases in the newly affected countries have presented through sexual health or other health services in primary or secondary health care facilities with travel history to countries in Europe and North America rather than to countries where the virus is known to be present. In the countries that have long experienced monkeypox, more analysis is needed to understand the ongoing and new sources of infection.
The sudden and unexpected appearance of monkeypox simultaneously in several regions without direct immediate travel links to areas that have long experienced monkeypox suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for several weeks or longer.
WHO assesses the risk at the global level as moderate considering this is the first time that many monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in many countries in widely disparate WHO geographical areas.
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