Group 1

The 2022 “Mpox” appeared to be emergent to some, but non-emergent to others. The Biden Administration emphasized the importance of taking precautions to control the outbreak, such as transporting and disposing of waste properly (Whitehouse, 2022). However, the World Health Organization's (WHO, 2022) emergency committee met to assess the severity of the Mpox outbreak, and following the discussion, the committee declined to label the outbreak an emergency. However, the director-general of the WHO dissented from this decision, insinuating that the organization is willing to act as a politically engaged actor in addressing global health emergencies.

The 2022 Mpox outbreak has led to increased research, including wider distribution of existing vaccines and development of new options for different populations. There is also a focus on reducing stigma surrounding the disease, reflected in its recent name change from "Monkeypox" to "Mpox." Information about transmission and risk behaviors is being disseminated to prevent future outbreaks.

Group 2

Mpox is a zoonosis virus in the pox family that was first found in a group of monkeys designated for research in 1958, with the first official human case occurring in 1970. Mpox outbreaks primarily occur in African countries, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo, meaning Western countries were unprepared for the recent 2022 outbreak of Mpox which spread to 110 countries and had a total of 85,645 cases and 82 deaths.  The most common cases come from males ages 18-44, this accounts for 79.2% of cases.  Mpox response is difficult due to the varying regulations surrounding vaccinations and treatments in different countries. While a vaccine currently exists for MPox, and several vaccines exist for general pox viruses, there is a lack of availability in many countries. The only available antiviral medication, TPOXX, is not widely approved and is only distributed in the US under special case permission. 

MPox was renamed in an attempt to shed the social stigma surrounding the virus.  Mpox is mostly transmitted between men who are sexually active with other men, so the word monkey created a stigma that raised concern with social groups. The Mpox outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in July 2022, and recommendations were issued to help countries respond quickly, stop transmission, and protect vulnerable groups.

Countries with more resources at their disposal are reluctant to share them or allocate money towards research to countries like the DRC that are suffering. Distant threats mean no money for research. A $3 million research project partly funded by the DoD will hopefully improve virus surveillance, according to PBS News Hour. Essentially, the response to Mpox was much faster in the US when it came within US borders, as they were not as responsive when it had high levels in African countries. 

Group 3

Mpox is in the Orthopoxvirus family along with Smallpox. They share many similarities causing health officials to use the Smallpox vaccine for Mpox at the beginning of the outbreak. New advances in research and technology helped track Mpox and a vaccine for Mpox was developed, usually requiring two doses. This outbreak is occurring in countries that have not experienced this outbreak before, which left scientists very confused. Even though this was the case, the U.S. declared the outbreak over as of February 2023. Throughout many countries this virus primarily affected those of the LGBTQ community and men who have intercourse with other men. There was much stigma surrounding the spread of this virus, so health officials sought to break this by providing readily accessible vaccines to everyone and educating the public. 

Group 4

Mpox is a virus with symptoms very similar to that of other orthopoxviruses. This can make it hard to distinguish between the viruses; the primary difference is that Mpox patients often have swollen lymph nodes. Another well known symptom of the virus is a rash, which goes through 5 stages and eventually turns to blisters. The Mpox virus has a low fatality rate, and is much less transmissible than smallpox. In addition, there are vaccines available that are very effective in preventing the spread of Mpox. However, there are few treatments available for those diagnosed with Mpox, and they are typically only prescribed for severe cases or those at a higher risk for a severe case. 

The virus is also surrounded by a lot of stigma. LGBTQ communities have been shown to be more susceptible, but the stigma surrounding these communities has negatively impacted efforts to contain and prevent the spread of Mpox. There have also been a variety of approaches for treatment and containment of the virus. Prior to the outbreak in New York, Mpox had received little funding and research because it was previously an endemic disease in less developed countries. Many of the more developed countries did not contribute much to research or disease prevention, allowing for the virus to continue spreading.