What to know
- Since January 1, 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and several neighboring countries in Central and Eastern Africa have confirmed through laboratory testing more than 46,000 monkeypox cases and more than 200 deaths.
- There have also been travel-associated cases in other parts of Africa, Australia, Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, as well as Australia.
- The risk of clade I monkeypox to the public in the U.S. remains low.
Outbreak overview
In the United States
- There have been six cases of clade I monkeypox reported in the United States in people who had recently traveled to affected areas associated with this outbreak.
- The cases are not linked. Each individual traveled from areas experiencing clade I monkeypox transmission and sought medical care for monkeypox symptoms after arriving in the U.S.
- Health authorities in Southern California have reported an additional three cases of clade I monkeypox in people with no recent travel. All three individuals have recovered from the illness. Viral genomic (DNA fingerprint) data indicate that these three cases may be linked to a different U.S. case reported in August 2025.
In Central and Eastern Africa
- Several outbreaks are happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cases reported throughout the country.
- Clade Ia monkeypox cases impacted Western DRC. Although most cases have not been laboratory-confirmed, available data indicate that clade Ia monkeypox is spreading through multiple ways, including sexual contact, regular household contact, and through encounters with infected dead or live wild animals.
- Clade Ib monkeypox cases are impacting Eastern DRC; this subclade has driven much of the spread throughout Central and Eastern Africa and most travel-associated cases.
- Available data indicate that these cases are mostly spreading through intimate or sexual contact between adults at first, then spread likely occurs within households, including to children.
- The bordering countries of Republic of the Congo (ROC) and Central African Republic (CAR), where clade I monkeypox occurs regularly, are seeing clade Ia monkeypox outbreaks; some of the cases appear to be linked to spread from DRC.
- The disease spread in 2024 and 2025 to neighboring countries to the east of DRC that are not known to be endemic for the virus that causes monkeypox, and sustained local spread occurred.
Outside Central and Eastern Africa
- Several countries in other parts of Africa, along with Australia and countries in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America have confirmed clade I monkeypox cases mostly in travelers who'd recently been in areas with clade I outbreaks. Monkeypox has spread to household or close contacts in only a few cases.
- A single person or household with monkeypox is not cause for widespread concern, since public health authorities can quickly identify, isolate, and treat the person or family, and the risk of spread to other people and households can be minimized. Rapid response measures, such as contact tracing and vaccination, can effectively stop disease spread in these situations.
- For data since January 1, 2024, see global data at 2022-24 Monkeypox (Monkeypox) Outbreak: Global Trends (shinyapps.io). Confirmed cases include those that are laboratory confirmed as monkeypox virus and may include cases only confirmed as orthopoxvirus. These data are provided for situational awareness and are subject to change.
What CDC is doing
CDC has been supporting DRC monkeypox research and response for more than 20 years. CDC and other U.S. government agencies are on the ground in DRC helping partners in the country with disease surveillance, laboratory capacity including testing materials, strengthening workforce capacity, case investigation, case management, infection prevention and control, border health, and risk communication and community engagement. CDC and other U.S. Government agencies worked with DRC to approve and form a strategy for the use of vaccines in-country.
Vaccination for people at higher risk for clade I monkeypox or those who had been exposed to monkeypox began in October 2024.
CDC is working with Ministries of Health and in-country partners across the region on disease surveillance, laboratory capacity including testing materials, strengthening workforce capacity, case investigation, case management, infection prevention and control, border health, and risk communication and community engagement.
