The 2022–2023 mpox outbreak was the first widespread transmission of the disease outside Central and West Africa, prompting a WHO public health emergency declaration.
Key Facts
- First case detected
- London, UK, 6 May 2022
- WHO PHEIC declared
- 23 July 2022
- PHEIC ended
- May 2023
- Confirmed cases (to 31 Mar 2026)
- 179,029 in 144 countries
- Deaths (to 31 Mar 2026)
- 503
- Case fatality rate
- Less than 0.2%
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Mpox, caused by the clade IIb variant of the virus, had been circulating and evolving in human hosts for several years before 2022. The disease spread rapidly through close personal contact, predominantly among men who have sex with men with multiple partners, facilitated by new transmission modes that were not fully understood at the time.
In May 2022, the WHO announced a multi-country mpox outbreak after cases appeared in the United Kingdom and quickly spread to numerous countries. On 23 July 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a PHEIC, marking the first time mpox had spread widely beyond Central and West Africa. The global response included public awareness campaigns and repurposing of smallpox vaccines.
The PHEIC was lifted in May 2023 following steady progress in controlling the disease. By 31 March 2026, 179,029 confirmed cases and 503 deaths had been recorded across 144 countries. A separate outbreak of a different mpox variant began in 2023 and was declared a new PHEIC in August 2024, indicating the disease remains an ongoing global health concern.