Is the new mpox variant really worse than the previous ones?

Much is still unknown about the different viral families of mpox, including their effects and severity. — AFP

As fears mount globally about mpox, apparently simple questions such as the danger it poses and differences between variants do not have clear and simple answers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in July (2024) declared an international health emergency over the spread of mpox, which first appeared in humans around 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).