Global Mpox Cases Decline, but WHO Urges Vigilance as Clade Ib Circulates Beyond Africa
November 3, 2025
The World Health Organization’s latest global mpox assessment highlights both progress and peril. Although global infections have declined, clade Ib transmission is now established outside Africa, raising concerns about undetected spread. Africa remains the epicenter, with over 39,000 confirmed cases and 178 deaths, while new outbreaks in Kenya and Liberia show ongoing vulnerability. WHO warns that waning immunity, funding cuts, and stigma could reverse hard-won gains. Sustained surveillance, targeted vaccination, and integration with HIV and STI services are essential to containing the evolving virus. The decline in cases must not breed complacency as mpox adapts and expands its global reach.
The World Health Organization’s October 2025 global mpox report offers cautious optimism, underscoring that progress remains fragile. Global cases have declined since mid-year, yet the virus continues to evolve and expand its range. Between January and September, 44,299 confirmed cases and 180 deaths were reported across 93 countries, with more than 80 percent from Africa. Four WHO regions recorded falling cases in September, but Europe and South-East Asia experienced notable increases.
Africa remains both the epicenter and a warning bell for global health. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen sustained declines, yet Kenya and Liberia face renewed surges. Liberia now reports over 1,095 cases concentrated around Monrovia, while Kenya has documented 708 infections across 31 counties, with clade Ib mpox dominating. All Kenyan deaths occurred among people living with HIV, illustrating the interconnected risks of immunocompromised populations and viral resurgence.
Perhaps most concerning is the documented emergence of local clade Ib transmission outside Africa. Six countries, including Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Malaysia, and the United States, have reported cases with no travel links. Evidence of transmission within sexual networks among men who have sex with men signals a shift in epidemiology and suggests undetected or mild infections among younger, unvaccinated groups.
WHO warns that waning post-vaccine immunity, inadequate contact tracing, and funding reductions for HIV and STI programs could undermine control efforts. The organization calls for sustained genomic surveillance, targeted vaccination, and community-based prevention to mitigate new waves.
The world’s response must not falter now. Mpox’s ability to adapt and cross borders demonstrates the ongoing need for vigilance, data-driven prevention, and health equity. If complacency takes hold, the current decline may prove temporary, and the global health community risks losing its hard-earned progress against a still-evolving threat.