What is Mpox and how is it spreading?

Mpox is a painful, contagious disease that has spread to Canada. It's already impacted other nations, and children often suffer the most. Here’s what you need to know.

What is Mpox? Low fatality, high suffering

“We see scabs on our child's skin, and when he scratches himself, he spends the whole night crying,” said the mother in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I’m scared because I think he’ll die.”

So far, the majority of people diagnosed with Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) live in Central and East Africa. One of those places is the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There are two strains of Mpox, but just one is potentially fatal. As of October 2024, 1,786 people in Canada had contracted the less-dangerous strain, and recovered in the usual two to four weeks.

But that changed on November 22, when Health Canada confirmed the first Canadian case of clade I Mpox, the potenetially lethal strain.

Just days earlier, the first U.S. case of clade I Mpox was confirmed, after a plane landed in California. As experts around the world have noted, this virus is on the spread.

9 things to know about Mpox

Mpox is an unlikely threat to most Canadians, but anyone can get it if exposed. Here are 9 things to know about Mpox, including what World Vision is doing to help stop it.

Q. What is Mpox?

A. Mpox is carried by rodents and primates in the humid forests of Central and East. But it hasn’t stayed there. The potentially fatal virus transmits both to and between humans. Mpox causes symptoms like painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy.

Q. What does Mpox look like?

A. The Mpox rash begins 2-3 days after other the start of other symptoms. Often itchy or painful, the rash can look like herpes, chicken pox or shingles. It causes spots, bumps or blisters. It begins on the face and can spread.

Q. What are the types of Mpox?

A. Scientists have identified clade I and clade II of the Mpox virus. Each has subclades (subclades Ia and Ib and subclades IIa and IIb.) Outbreaks from each clade have distinct characteristics—including how they move, whom they affect, and the fatality levels they cause.

Q. What’s the history of Mpox in humans?

A. The first human case of Mpox was documented in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. In the 1980s and 90s the disease periodically surged and petered out in parts of Africa. Since then:

From the start of monitoring Mpox in 2022 (and until July 2024) more than 100,000 cases of Mpox were diagnosed around the world.

In Africa in 2024, there were 160 per cent more cases than in 2023, with a 19 per cent rise in deaths. This was driven by the emergency of the virulent clade Ib variant—the kind recently diagnosed for the first time in Canada and the U.S.

In August 2024, the World Health Organization declared Mpox “a public health emergency of international concern.”

Q. Where is Mpox most prevalent?

A. As of November 2024, the three countries with the majority of human Mpox cases are the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Burundi and Uganda. There’s been an increase in the more severe strain, especially among children, in the DRC.

Q. How does Mpox spread?

A. Mpox spreads from person to person, mainly through close contact with someone who as it. This includes within households. Also:

Between people who are face-to-face, through infectious respiratory droplets.

Skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact and kissing.

Contaminated objects such as clothing or linen.

Needle injuries in health care, or in community settings such as tattoo parlours.

Through pregnancy or birth, when the virus can pass to the baby.

Q. Is there a vaccine to prevent Mpox?

A. There is a vaccine, yes, and many municipalities offer the two-dose immunization to people who are eligible. The first version for children was approved by the World Health Organization in November. People who have Mpox already should visit their doctor.

Q. Why should I care about Mpox in the world?

A. So long as people travel, so will contagious illness. For children and adults everywhere, health is a human right, as is education. People have the right to protect themselves from Mpox through education and vaccines. They have the right to healthcare when sick.

Q. What is World Vision doing to help people fight Mpox?

World Vision is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of children at risk of the Mpox virus, especially those in crowded camps where sexual violence is rife.

We’re monitoring the spread of Mpox in countries where we serve, helping people stay safe, and assisting those who are sick with the virus. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, Mpox is present in all 26 provinces—though to different degrees.

“I was scared because we were told that if a child contracts this disease, he dies,” said a mother in South Kivu province. “We need medical care. There are so many cases. And this disease affects children.”

Mpox numbers have been very high in South Kivu province, but World Vision is a government partner in the country’s Mpox response. Here are some of the ways we help:

We’re taking immediate steps to protect vulnerable children, with an initial response in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Central African Republic and Chad.