Monkeypox international public health emergency declared

A global outbreak of monkeypox – subsequently renamed mpox - leads to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring an international public health emergency in July 2022. By December 2022, 110 countries have reported an outbreak. Of the 82,999 mpox cases reported by December, 81,882 of these were in locations that have not historically reported mpox.

Although monkeypox can infect anyone, the 2022 global outbreak mainly spreads through the sexual networks of gay men and other men who have sex with men. With this there is fierce discussion about the risks of stigmatisation and miscommunication. Are we repeating the mistakes of the AIDS epidemic, as monkeypox becomes known as a gay disease due to its early identification among communities of men who have sex with men? Or is the priority clear, urgent communication about those who are most at risk?

By the end of the year the number of reported cases was dropping dramatically, with successful vaccine and treatment programmes available in some countries.