A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of the Virtual Outpatient Management of People With Mpox

To report on the implementation and outcomes of a virtual ward established for the management of mpox during the 2022 outbreak, we conducted a 2-center, observational, cross-sectional study over a 3-month period.

All patients aged ≥17 years with laboratory polymerase chain reaction-confirmed monkeypox virus managed between 14 May and 15 August 2022, at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases at University College London Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and sexual health services at Central North and West London NHS Foundation Trust, were included. Main outcomes included the proportion of patients managed exclusively on the virtual ward, proportion of patients requiring inpatient admission, proportion of patients with human immunodeficiency virus, and duration of lesion reepithelialization.

Among confirmed cases (N = 221), 86% (191/221) were managed exclusively on the virtual ward, while 14% (30/221) required admission. Treatment for concomitant sexually transmitted infections was provided to 25% (55/221) of patients, antibiotics for other infective complications to 16% (35/221), and symptomatic relief to 27% (60/221). The median time from onset to complete lesion reepithelialization and de-isolation was 18 days (range, 8-56 days). Eleven percent (24/221) of individuals disengaged from services within 4 days of testing.

The virtual ward model facilitated safe and holistic outpatient management of mpox, while minimizing admissions. This approach could serve as a model for future outbreak responses.