The risk to most Americans from clade I mpox circulating in Central and Eastern Africa and the travel associated cases outside of Africa is very low, and there are no known cases in the United States at this time.
The United States is well prepared to rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they occur domestically.
The United States continues to increase our capacity to detect cases of clade I and clade IIb mpox through existing surveillance systems, including wastewater testing, and through expanding the robust diagnostic testing capacity built during the ongoing clade IIb outbreak to ensure coverage for clade I. The ability to expedite such diagnostic testing—in particular for those with recent travel to DRC or neighboring countries—also supports rapid detection.
From August 2022 to August 2024, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), distributed more than one million vials of the JYNNEOS vaccine across the United States to mitigate the spread and severity of the clade II mpox outbreak. In addition to the preventive vaccine, partners across the U.S. government are working to better understand the effectiveness of existing treatments for mpox and have treatment options available in the event that clade I mpox is reported in the United States. The United States will continue to provide information to the public on transmission, prevention, and treatment of mpox. Those who have already had clade IIb mpox or who are fully vaccinated against it are expected to be protected against clade I mpox.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued an updated Health Alert Network advisory for clinicians and public health departments and partners, as well as an updated Travel Health Notice, recommending travelers to DRC and neighboring countries to practice enhanced precautions. At this time, CDC and WHO do not discourage travel to DRC or elsewhere due to the mpox outbreaks.
In addition to direct financial support, the United States government is surging staff to support the mpox response. More than 200 staff including epidemiologists, laboratorians, and risk communication experts have been deployed to support response efforts in the United States and Africa.
USAID is donating 50,000 doses of the FDA-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to DRC, as well as financial support for rollout of the vaccine doses.
