Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is a contagious disease that comes from the same family as smallpox.
While nowhere near as fatal as smallpox, monkeypox causes similar symptoms such as rash, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue. In extreme cases, the disease can lead to severe illness and even death.
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Here is what to know about mpox and what it means for travel
Since an outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa that began in mid-2024, multiple countries have identified the more contagious clade Ib strain among their populations.
New York recorded its first infected patient last week while countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom have also been reporting cases.
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With cases of both the new and older strains popping up in the United Arab Emirates, the British government has issued an advisory urging travelers to “take extra precautions” when traveling to the country.
Cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi are very popular holiday destinations for Brits looking for sun and a weekend away. Approximately 1.4 million Brits visited UAE in 2024 while over 240,000 expats have made it their permanent home.
“As of 14 February 2025, the United Arab Emirates reported their first case of clade Ib mpox in an individual with a recent history of travel to Uganda,” the advisory on the government’s TravelHealthPro site reads.
A separate British advisory for China says that the case that was located in the country “was associated with travel to the United Arab Emirates.”
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Over in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travelers’ guidance on mpox in November 2024.
As mpox is primarily spread through close contact with infected people or animals, the instructions recommend “avoid[ing] any rash you see on others and consider[ing] minimizing skin-to-skin contact” with an infected individual.
Guidance for anyone traveling to a country with a mpox outbreak
Those who are traveling to countries with a high number of cases are advised to get the first dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine at least six weeks before travel.
“If you are traveling, CDC recommends vaccination if you are eligible, which includes people who plan to travel to a country with a clade I mpox outbreak and anticipate participating in certain sexual activities,” the CDC wrote last November.
As all mpox cases documented in countries without an outbreak are travel-related, those who have a confirmed case are instructed to stay home until symptoms are gone and the identifying rash is fully healed.
While there are currently no restrictions on travel in place and the advisories are issued only to warn travelers, some travel insurance providers have been warning that those who choose to go to high-risk areas may not be covered by the plan they purchased.
Countries with the highest numbers of mpox cases include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
“Travel to a mpox-affected area may affect travel health insurance options,” National Travel Health Network and Centre in the UK said back in November. “Travelers should discuss their plans with their insurance provider before they go."
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