NEW YORK — Less than six months ago, mpox was an exploding health crisis. What had been an obscure disease from Africa was ripping through European and U.S. gay communities. Precious doses of an unproven vaccine were in short supply. International officials declared health emergencies.
Today, reports of new cases are down to a trickle in the U.S. Health officials are shutting down emergency mobilizations. The threat seems to have virtually disappeared from the public consciousness.
“We’re in a remarkably different place,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert. “It’s really impressive how that peak has come down to very, very low levels.