Mpox 2024 mapped: all the countries where cases of the new mpox variant have been confirmed

• The World Health Organization (WHO) have declared a global health emergency over mpox outbreak in Africa.
• The new Clade 1 variant is spreading at a faster rate.
• The first case in Europe has been detected in Sweden, with Thailand confirming the first case in Asia.
• WHO have advised people travelling to countries affected by the outbreak to get vaccinated.
• In 2022, a global health emergency was declared by WHO when the mpox Clade 2 variant spread to 70 countries who had never had cases, including the UK.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a global health emergency after an mpox outbreak in Africa has left hundreds dead, with cases starting to be detected around the world.

The first case of the Clade 1 variant was detected in Europe last week whilst on August 22, Thailand confirmed they had discovered the first case in Asia.

The new strain of the virus, which is highly contagious has driven a surge in infections. Previously named monkeypox, mpox has been spreading at an alarming rate across central and east Africa, with more than 15,600 cases (of all variants) reported.

In 2022, a similar global health emergency was declared by the WHO after mpox Clade 2 variant spread to over 70 countries who had never previously had cases, including the UK, who rolled out a vaccine programme to combat this.

Where is mpox right now?

Mpox never really went away, with the Clade 2 variant still causing cases long after the global outbreak in 2022. However, it’s the new mpox variant Clade I which is causing concern due to how fast it spreads and its fatality rate.

Speaking after the announcement of the global outbreak, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

Currently the highest concentration of cases of the Clade 1 variant are located in central and east Africa, with the new variant first emerging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to WHO last year before being detected in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya.

However, cases have started to be detected outside of Africa. The first case to be confirmed in Europe was in Sweden on August 15, with their Public Health Agency stating: “A person who sought care at Region Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent.”

Whilst on August 22, Thailand confirmed the first known case of the Clade 1 variant detected in Asia.

The map below shows all of the countries which have a confirmed case of mpox Clade 1. It does not include countries with suspected infection where the variant has not been confirmed.

Are there any mpox cases in the UK?

In the UK, there are cases of the mpox Clade II variant, which was responsible for the last global outbreak in 2022. According to UKHSA, between 2023 to 2024 there have been 211 confirmed mpox cases in the UK, with England having the highest number of cases at 198.

You can find out more about what the signs and symptoms of mpox and what to do if you suspect you’ve been exposed to mpox at NHS.UK.