Scientists unlock weak spot of monkeypox virus, paving way for new drugs

Scientists unlock weak spot of monkeypox virus, paving way for new drugs

Monkeypox, caused by the monkeypox virus—a close cousin of smallpox—has spread rapidly worldwide. From 2022 to 2025, more than 133,000 cases were reported across 131 countries. In August 2024, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency due to a new strain's outbreak in Africa. Current vaccines offer limited protection, leaving the world in urgent need of better solutions.

New strain of monkeypox detected: first cases of the disease have already been registered in EuropeCases of a new, more dangerous strain of monkeypox Clade I, common in Africa, have been recorded in Europe. Cases have been detected in a number of countries, in particular, in the UK, Germany and France.