Clade 1

How far has mpox spread, and what can you do to protect yourself?

At least two nations outside Africa have reported pox cases since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the virus a "public health emergency" earlier this week. Clade 1, a relatively new virus variant, has spread in African countries since 2022. Earlier this year, it was claimed that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was witnessing the largest outbreak of the disease ever recorded, with tens of thousands affected by June. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo designated it an epidemic in December 2022.