Mpox Vaccination Recommended When Visiting Outbreak Areas

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published its 58th situation report on the multi-country outbreak of mpox, detailing the global epidemiological situation and providing an update on the continuing emergency in Africa, where over 90% of cases have been confirmed. Both clades of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate.

As of September 19, 2025, the WHO reported 59 countries across all WHO regions reported a total of 3,780 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths (case fatality ratio 0.4%) in August.

The Eastern Mediterranean and European regions reported an increase in cases in August compared to July 2025.

Nineteen countries in Africa have reported active mpox transmission in the past six weeks.

Clade IIb MPXV continues to be mostly reported in West Africa, Central African countries report both clade Ia and clade Ib MPXV, and East African countries report clade Ib MPXV.

Even though the WHO has downgraded the global Mpox situation, it continues to provide guidance and technical support to countries on targeted vaccination strategies. WHO is supporting countries on planning for the use of dose-sparing options (single dose or intradermal fractional dosing) of MVA-BN vaccine.

More than 1.1 million MVA-BN vaccine doses have been administered.

Mpox vaccination activities have started in 11 countries with the MVA-BN vaccine (Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Uganda). Most countries are implementing a single-dose strategy targeting population groups at high risk of exposure to the human-to-human transmitted virus.

The U.S. CDC recently stated that clade II mpox has become endemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

To ensure the United States has an ample supply of vaccines, Emergent BioSolutions Inc. recently announced a $56 million contract to supply ACAM2000® (Smallpox and Mpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live) to the U.S. government.

Deliveries are expected to begin in September.

In the United States, the MVA-BN (JYNNEOS) vaccine remains available at health clinics as of September 22, 2025.