In response to the surge in mpox cases in Africa and WHO’s declaration of Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14, the United states has continued to support with aid while taking preventive measures within the US.
Since March 2024, the U.S. has provided $20 million to address the clade I outbreak and recently announced an additional $35 million in emergency health assistance, pending Congressional approval. This brings the total financial support to over $55 million.
Beyond financial aid, the U.S. has deployed over 200 health professionals, including epidemiologists and laboratorians, to aid both domestic and international response efforts. Key interventions include expanded surveillance, enhanced diagnostics, and vaccination support. USAID has also committed 50,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to the DRC, alongside funding for vaccine distribution.
At home, the Biden-Harris Administration has initiated a comprehensive incident response strategy in February 2024. This effort aims to enhance domestic preparedness for potential cases of clade I mpox, given its more severe clinical outcomes compared to clade IIb. Current data on clade I’s impact primarily stems from endemic countries with limited healthcare resources, and while it is anticipated that the U.S. might experience lower morbidity and mortality, the situation remains under close watch.
The United States is bolstering its capacity to detect and manage clade I mpox through various measures. Enhanced surveillance systems, including wastewater testing and expanded diagnostic capabilities, are in place. Additionally, the U.S. continues to support vaccination efforts with the JYNNEOS vaccine, which has been widely distributed during the clade IIb outbreak. The vaccine’s protection against clade I is also under evaluation.
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has distributed over one million doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine within the U.S. since August 2022. Alongside vaccination, federal agencies are investigating the effectiveness of existing treatments and preparing to deploy them if necessary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an updated Health Alert Network advisory for healthcare providers and a Travel Health Notice urging enhanced precautions for travelers to the DRC and neighboring regions. However, there is currently no travel restriction to these areas.
Prior to WHO’s declaration, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (Africa CDC) announce a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. The recent spike in mpox cases involves clade I of the virus, which has been identified in both endemic countries—those with previous outbreaks—and non-endemic countries where the virus has not been historically reported. In addition to clade I, a new sub-clade known as clade Ib has emerged. Both clade Ia and clade Ib are currently circulating in the DRC and have been detected in neighboring nations, as well as in Sweden and Thailand. These latter cases are linked to travel from Africa.
The ongoing crisis underscores the global reach and potential threat of mpox. The outbreak of clade IIb mpox in 2022 had already demonstrated the virus’s ability to cause widespread illness, with over 95,000 cases reported across 115 countries. Despite the global scale of the 2022 outbreak, the emergence of clade I poses new challenges due to its higher severity and mortality rate. The Biden-Harris Administration, having faced the previous outbreak’s impacts, is now focusing on preparedness for clade I mpox.
The Biden-Harris Administration is leveraging its previous experiences and collaborations with international partners to navigate this new outbreak. By working closely with WHO, Africa CDC, and other stakeholders, the U.S. aims to strengthen global health security and response capabilities.
