WHO has released a new strategic framework aimed at enhancing the prevention and control of mpox, a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) that continues to impact people globally. This framework is designed to provide guidance to health authorities, communities, and stakeholders in preventing and managing mpox outbreaks, eliminating human-to-human transmission, and reducing the spillover of the virus from animals to humans.

Mpox is characterized by symptoms such as a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. While most individuals recover fully from the illness, some may experience severe complications. The virus primarily spreads through close contact, including sexual contact, and has animal reservoirs in east, central, and west Africa, where spillovers to humans can lead to further outbreaks.

The virus is classified into two clades: clade I and clade II, with clade I outbreaks being more severe than clade II outbreaks. A significant emergence of mpox linked to clade II began in 2017 and has since spread globally. Although a Public Health Emergency of International Concern was declared during the outbreak between July 2022 and May 2023, cases and deaths related to mpox continue to be reported, indicating ongoing low-level transmission worldwide.

Currently, there is a notable outbreak of the clade I virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with increasing cases and fatalities, particularly among children under 15 years old. The Strategic Framework for Enhancing Prevention and Control of mpox (2024–2027) offers a roadmap for health authorities, communities, and stakeholders to manage mpox outbreaks, advance research, and enhance access to countermeasures, with the aim of reducing zoonotic transmission.