One year ago, in May 2022, mpox transmission rates in the WHO European Region started skyrocketing. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) have been the most affected group but communities of trans and gender-diverse people have also been impacted.
To fight mpox, civil society organizations that represent affected groups mobilized to protect themselves and prevent onwards transmission. Alongside health authorities, they made important contributions to surveillance, testing, contact tracing and treatment; advocated for vaccination and self and community protection; and shared a wealth of experience from HIV and sexually transmitted infections prevention, not to mention their energy and understanding of perceptions and behaviours.
One year on, the number of people with mpox has reduced significantly across the Region; likely due to a combination of increased risk perception and uptake of protective measures, alongside increased immunity from vaccination and/or infection.
WHO/Europe continues to keep affected communities at the heart of its mpox response, incorporating their valuable insights and ideas into guidance and strategies with the goal of eliminating mpox from the Region.
Enjoying summer safely
“Our efforts to control the outbreak appear to have paid off, and that’s great news. However, mpox has not gone away, and what will happen next is uncertain,” says Richard Pebody, who leads WHO/Europe’s mpox incident management support team.
While there are fewer people with mpox in the Region, some countries are still seeing persistent, low levels of transmission and globally, localised clusters of cases remind us that this outbreak is far from over. Spring and summer could see cases flaring up once more, both regionally and globally, triggered by people gathering for summer events, lack of access to vaccines and testing, or by travel to and from places with higher rates and less vaccination.
“To stand a chance of eliminating mpox, people need to stay informed about the virus, including how to protect themselves and their communities,” continues Dr Pebody.
This means regular health self-checks, talking to sexual partners about symptoms and, if recovering from mpox, taking a break from sexual activity until the last scab has fallen off. Mpox vaccination, if available, offers an extra layer of protection, but it is important to keep up with other protective measures, even after vaccination. Anyone who thinks they might have mpox symptoms should contact a sexual health service provider or a local sexual health clinic.
Guidance, tools and lessons identified
Throughout the outbreak, WHO/ Europe has worked closely with health authorities and community groups, providing technical support and capacity-building. Four new products and initiatives will support European Region countries towards mpox elimination.
- A new compendium of case studies entitled “Eliminating mpox in the European Region – a response with communities at its heart” shares experience from community organizations and health authorities in countries as diverse as France, Ireland, Kazakhstan and Serbia, exploring key lessons identified by participants. “We’ve shared first-hand experience about mpox outreach run by MPOWER, giving examples of how health authorities can successfully partner with community organizations. Involving affected communities in the response is crucial to eliminating mpox transmission,” explains Adam Shanley, MPOWER Programme Manager, HIV Ireland.
- An mpox policy brief “Considerations for the control and elimination of mpox in the WHO European Region: the need for integrated national operational plans” outlines the actions countries need to take, both to prepare for the upcoming spring and summer mass gatherings season, as well as for preventing sustained person-to-person transmission in the medium- to long-term.
- Accompanying the policy brief, a campaign called “Eliminating mpox. Placing affected populations at the heart of our response” calls for renewed efforts to sustain current achievements and work towards eliminating mpox in the Region. Through stories, videos, interviews, Q&As and social media posts that offer important health advice, the campaign will remind key affected populations of the importance of staying vigilant. It will also provide guidance to health authorities, health workers, community organizations and event organizers on the actions needed to eliminate mpox in the Region.
- The Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM) Toolkit for Mpox Elimination offers a comprehensive resource to community-based event organizers and health authorities, for them to build their elimination strategy. Originally published at the peak of the outbreak, the updated version includes a new section on community engagement, with tips to ensure the inclusion of groups that might have been left out of the response, such as the trans community, sex workers and sex-on-premises venues. It also features revised and updated public health advice that incorporates the latest evidence on mpox transmission and vaccination.