There is currently a multinational outbreak of Mpox, cases have been confirmed in the UK.
What is Mpox?
Mpox is a rare zoonosis – a disease transmitted to humans from animals. It is caused by the Mpox virus and is part of the smallpox and chickenpox family.
When was it first identified?
Mpox – the timeline:
- 1958 – discovery of the virus in 1958 among monkeys in a laboratory.
- 1970 – identification of the first cases in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
- 2003 – an outbreak of Mpox occurred in the USA linked to rodents from Gambia being sold in a pet shop. Of the 71 reported cases, none were fatal.
- 2017 – Nigeria experienced a large outbreak of Mpox with occasional cases since.
- 2018 – two cases reported in quick succession in the UK. Both people infected had recently travelled to Nigeria.
- 2021 – multinational outbreak in 14 countries
- 2022 – Endemic in some parts of Africa, spreading in the UK, Spain and other parts of Europe and at the end of May, the first South American case was reported in Argentina.
- 2024 – A new clade of Mpox called Clade 1b was found in DRC, and has spread to neighbouring countries. The new clade has not been reported in the UK.
- 2025 – There have been 12 cases of Mpox Clade 1b in the UK since May 2025, however risk to the general public remains low. Cases have also been detected in other countries such as the USA, Canada and Germany. The majority of the cases have some form of travel link to countries where the disease is circulating. A Mpox Vaccine is now offered in the UK to those eligible.
How do you catch it?
There are two known methods of transmission. One is via humans and one is via animals.
How do you catch it from animals?
It is spread through handling infected monkeys, squirrels and Gambian giant rats. This means direct contact with blood, bodily fluids or skin lesions of an infected animal. Rodents are considered the most likely source of the virus.
Another possible risk factor is eating meat from infected animals that haven’t been cooked sufficiently.
How do you catch it from humans?
It can spread when someone is in close physical contact with an infected person and they touch the skin lesions or they touch objects recently contaminated by the patient.
Good to know?
Pregnant women should take note, transmission can also occur through the placenta – this is known as congenital Mpox.
How contagious is it?
Public Health England states Mpox does not spread easily between people so the risk of it affecting the wider population is low. However it is contagious and when people are in close proximity with one another, it does spread.
How serious is it?
In most cases Mpox is mild and resolves on its own with the patient recovering within a couple of weeks. It doesn’t have lasting effects on the patient’s long term health, although if the rash spreads to the eyes it can cause blindness.
However in some cases it can cause severe illness. This is due to age, the patient’s overall health, extent of exposure to the virus and the severity of the complications.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, as many as one in ten cases of Mpox in Africa result in death. Most deaths occur in the younger age groups.
Where is it reported?
Mainly in remote parts of central and west African countries, also near tropical rainforests.
A small number of cases have been detected in countries such as the USA, Canada and Germany, but are not considered a high risk to the general public, and mostly occur where there are travel links to countries in which there is a high amount of reported cases.
What are the symptoms of Mpox?
Mpox starts with fever, aching muscles, headache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
Within 1-5 days of getting the fever, a painful rash appears and open sores develop. These usually start on the face before spreading to the rest of the body. They scab over and then fall off.
Available treatment?
As of 2025, The NHS is offering a smallpox (Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)) vaccination to those who are considered at increased risk of catching mpox, and those who meet the eligibility criteria. More information on eligibility can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monkeypox-vaccination-resources/monkeypox-waiting-for-your-vaccination
Mass vaccination has not been recommended, although people who are at risk ( those who have been exposed too or are at high risk of exposure) are considered for vaccination.
Furthermore, multiple smallpox vaccines have been successful in preventing Mpox.
People in the UK born before 1970 should have received a Smallpox vaccine and so are likely to have some immunity against Mpox. The UK Government is offering the Smallpox vaccine to those who have been in close contact with infected people.
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