What is mpox?

Mpox (previously known as monkeypox) is a rare disease caused by a virus . Mpox spreads through close contact with someone who’s infected. You can also get it from an infected animal.

There are two known types of mpox virus-one that originated in Central Africa and one that originated in West Africa. The current world outbreak (2022 to 2023) is caused by Clade IIb, a subtype of the less severe West African clade.