Should you really be scared of Mpox?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an outbreak of Mpox in Africa a “global health emergency.” But in a time where outbreaks of diseases are continually met with scary headlines, and many people grapple with trauma and anxiety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what do we really need to know about the next virus spreading across the world?

Dr. Jason Kindrachuk is the Canada Research Chair in the molecular pathogenesis of emerging viruses.

“We’ve seen rapid expansion of [Mpox] within the Democratic Republic of Congo the past 20 months, but we’ve now seen this movement into surrounding regions including Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, and concerns about a greater potential for international distribution of the virus,” says Kindrachuk.  

So today, the facts: What is mpox? How dangerous is it? How ready are we? And should you be worried about it?

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