Multi-country outbreak of mpox (monkeypox) – External Situation Report 34, published 28 June 2024 – World

Report highlights

• In May 2024, a total of 646 new laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox and 15 deaths were reported to WHO from 26 countries, illustrating continuing transmission of mpox across the world. The most affected WHO regions, ordered by number of laboratory-confirmed cases, were the African Region, the European Region, the Region of the Americas, the Western Pacific Region and the South-East Asia Region. The Eastern Mediterranean region did not report any cases in May 2024.

• As reporting from countries to WHO has been declining, the current reported global data most likely underestimate the actual number of mpox cases.

• Within the African Region, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported most (99%) of the confirmed mpox cases in the reporting month. With limited access to testing in rural areas, 18% of clinically compatible (reported as suspected) cases in the country are tested, therefore the confirmed case counts are underestimates of the true burden.

• This issue also features: o An update on the mpox situation in South Africa; o An update on vaccines and immunization for mpox, with information from partners.

• WHO welcomes the announcement by the Democratic Republic of the Congo national regulatory authority of the emergency authorization for use of MVA-BN and LC16 mpox vaccines, which will enable the country to import and deploy mpox vaccines for the national outbreak response.