CNN: Mpox is almost gone in the US, leaving lessons and mysteries in its wake

On Tuesday, January 31, the US public health emergency declaration for mpox came to an end. The virus hasn’t completely gone away, but the average number of new cases per day reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in the single digits, as opposed to the August 2022 peak of about 450 new cases per day. 

 

According to the WHO, cases are also declining across Europe, the Western Pacific, and Asia, but still rising in some South American countries.

Experts attribute the ending of the outbreak partly to the efficacy of the Jynneos vaccine. According to the CDC, men who had two doses of the vaccine were about 69% less likely to get a mpox infection that needed medical attention compared with those who were unvaccinated.

However, the vaccine is not the sole reason for the decrease in cases; CDC modeling suggests that behavioral changes have also played a substantial role. It is estimated that the reduction in sexual activity reduced the growth of new infections by 20% to 30%.
Some experts worry that the US could see an increase mpox infections again as the summer party season approaches.

 

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