Concurrent outbreaks of mpox in Africa—an update
In this Review, we examine the concurrent outbreaks of mpox in Africa, focusing on clade 1a, the newly emerged clade 1b, and clade 2b lineage A, and how they differ from the 2022 global outbreak caused by clade 2b lineage B.1. Historically, clades 1a and 2a have caused sporadic, small outbreaks in central and west Africa, respectively, primarily through zoonotic transmission. Clade 2b first caused an outbreak in Nigeria in 2017, and later spread globally via sexual contact in 2022. In August, 2024, WHO declared a global health emergency due to the newly identified clade 1b outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
