Biden Administration to End Mpox Health Emergency

The Biden administration intends to end the public health emergency for mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Friday.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement that the department "does not expect to renew the emergency declaration" due to the low number of mpox cases in the United States. The emergency declaration is scheduled to expire on Jan. 31, 2023.

First declared on Aug. 4, Becerra renewed the mpox public health emergency on Nov. 2.

According to recent data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been fewer than 10 mpox cases per day since Nov. 25.

The number of daily cases hit its highest point on Aug. 6, when 459 cases were recorded.

While HHS expects the virus to continue trending downward over the next two months, it could consider reinstating the mpox public health emergency if conditions change.

"[W]e won't take our foot off the gas — we will continue to monitor the case trends closely and encourage all at-risk individuals to get a free vaccine," Becerra said. "As we move into the next phase of this effort, the Biden-Harris Administration continues working closely with jurisdictions and partners to monitor trends, especially in communities that have been disproportionately affected."

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