https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2024.1261

Global Mpox spread due to increased air travel

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2024)
Submitted: 3 January 2024
Accepted: 4 March 2024
Published: 11 June 2024
Air traffic, infectious disease, Mpox, hotspot, risk map
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Authors

Huijie Qiao
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Paanwaris Paansri
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
Luis E. Escobar
escobar1@vt.edu
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Global Change Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States; Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.

Mpox is an emerging, infectious disease that has caused outbreaks in at least 91 countries from May to August 2022. We assessed the link between international air travel patterns and Mpox transmission risk, and the relationship between the translocation of Mpox and human mobility dynamics after travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic had been lifted. Our three novel observations were that: i) more people traveled internationally after the removal of travel restrictions in the summer of 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels; ii) countries with a high concentration of global air travel have the most recorded Mpox cases; and iii) Mpox transmission includes a number of previously nonendemic regions. These results suggest that international airports should be a primary location for monitoring the risk of emerging communicable diseases. Findings highlight the need for global collaboration concerning proactive measures emphasizing realtime surveillance.

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How to Cite

Qiao, H., Paansri, P., & Escobar, L. E. (2024). Global Mpox spread due to increased air travel. Geospatial Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2024.1261
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