3,924 Cases, 30 Deaths Across 47 Countries: Mpox Elimination Still Uncertain As WHO Announces "Global Health Risk"

The situation report by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the multi-country outbreak of Mpox in July showed that all clades of Monkeypox Virus (MPXV) continue to circulate in several countries.

Despite its continued effort to eliminate Mpox, also known as Monkeypox, the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 28, announced that the viral illness continues to be a global health risk. As of now, 47 countries have reported a total of 3,924 confirmed cases, including 30 deaths in July.

The situation report for the multi-country outbreak of Mpox in July showed that all clades of Monkeypox Virus (MPXV) continue to circulate in several countries.

Mpox: 3,924 Cases, 30 Deaths Across 47 Countries

'When mpox outbreaks are not rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is not interrupted, they continue to pose a risk of sustained community transmission. Since the last edition of this report, one country, Senegal, has reported mpox for the first time. Efforts to identify the clade are underway," the report said.

Since July 2025, the South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions reported an increase in cases, while the African Region, European Region and the Region of the Americas reported a decrease. The Eastern Mediterranean Region did not report any mpox cases in July 2025.

Further, WHO states, "Twenty-one countries in Africa have reported ongoing mpo IIb MPXV continues to be reported in West Africa, while Central African countries report both clade Ia x transmission in the past six weeks. Clade and clade Ib MPXV, and East African countries report clade Ib MPXV."

What Is Mpox?

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a disease caused by an orthopoxvirus genus, which belongs to the same family as poxviridae that causes smallpox. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Mpox virus has been found in small rodents, monkeys, and other mammals, which can spread between animals and people.

"Mpox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be spread between animals and people. It is endemic, or found regularly, in parts of Central and West Africa. The virus that causes mpox has been found in small rodents, monkeys, and other mammals that live in these areas," the CDC explains.

Types Of Mpox

There are two types of mpox, clade I and clade II. The CDC explains that historically, clade I often cause higher numbers of severe illnesses than clade II, with up to 10% of people dying from it. The current rise of cases in Central and Eastern Africa is attributed to Clade I, although the recent outbreaks have seen much lower death rates of about 1-3.3%.

Further, the science-based health agency clarified that Clade II is the type that caused the global outbreak that began in 2022. CDC states, "Infections from clade II mpox are less severe. More than 99.9% of people survive. Clade II is endemic to West Africa."

Signs And Symptoms Of Mpox

Multiple studies have shown that people with mpox often get a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth or near the genitals, including penis, testicles, labia, vagina, and anus. Before healing, the painful and itchy blisters, like pimples, go through several stages, including scabs, which resolve on their own within 2 to 3 weeks.