Mpox (clades I and II)
Should I be worried? · Pathogen library: Monkeypox virus
| Official | Media, unverified | Reported this week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | — | 2 | — |
| Confirmed cases | 24 as of 2 Oct 2026 | 100,814 796 highest in the last 7 days | — |
| Suspected cases | — | 1 | — |
Mpox remains a global watch condition rather than a single contained outbreak. WHO’s current global framing has not shifted in 2026: the agency says the overall public-health risk remains moderate for people with higher exposure through sexual networks, especially men who have sex with men with new or multiple partners, and low for the general population without specific risk factors. WHO also says the 2022 clade IIb outbreak continues, while clades Ia and Ib continue to drive concern in Africa and beyond. In February 2026, WHO reported two known cases of an inter-clade recombinant virus with genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb, detected via the United Kingdom and retrospectively in India; no secondary cases were found and WHO said this did not change its overall risk assessment. In the last 7 days, the clearest official update retrieved was from Angola, where health authorities said the country had recorded 796 confirmed cases and two deaths since 2024 and was still strengthening outbreak coordination, surveillance and risk communication. Press coverage retrieved this week was lighter and more consumer-oriented, stressing that mpox is still spreading and explaining vaccines and symptoms, rather than documenting a new abrupt global surge. The main uncertainties are whether the recombinant strain is circulating undetected in more countries, how much clade-specific sequencing is being done, and whether transmission is broadening beyond the higher-risk networks that still dominate many recent official assessments.
Situation as of 6 Oct 2026
Official
WHO’s latest global assessment retrieved in this session says the overall mpox risk remains unchanged: moderate for men who have sex with men with new and/or multiple partners, and for sex workers or others with multiple casual sexual partners, and low for the general population without specific risk factors. WHO says both clades I and II continue to circulate globally. The 2022 clade IIb outbreak is still ongoing, while clades Ia and Ib remain a concern in Africa and beyond. In February 2026 WHO reported two known cases of an inter-clade Ib/IIb recombinant virus, but said neither case was severe, no secondary cases were found, and the overall risk assessment did not change. In Angola, health authorities said the country had reached 796 confirmed cases and two deaths since 2024 and was continuing response operations.
Media, unverified
Media items retrieved in the last week were sparse and mostly explanatory rather than breaking-news alerts. One US consumer-health article said mpox is still spreading in the United States and focused on symptoms, vaccination and treatment. Reporting tied to Angola emphasized outbreak response, risk communication and the role of the emergency operations centre.
Control measures
Current control measures described in the retrieved documents include case detection and testing, clade-specific sequencing, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care of cases, PPE for health workers, risk communication, community engagement, and vaccination as part of a broader response rather than a stand-alone solution. WHO also stresses preparedness after the end of the second PHEIC, especially where local transmission of clade Ib has been identified. Angola’s response is being coordinated through its public health emergency operations centre, with emphasis on surveillance, treatment, communication and rapid use of outbreak data.
Timeline
- · WHO determined that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a growing number of countries in Africa constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
- · WHO reported broader transmission of clade Ib mpox after the end of the second PHEIC, including countries with no recent travel-linked exposure, and assessed risk as moderate for higher-exposure sexual networks and low for the general population.
- · WHO reported two known cases of an inter-clade recombinant mpox virus with genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb, linked to detections in the United Kingdom and India. No secondary cases were identified, and WHO said the overall risk assessment remained unchanged.
- · WHO’s Angola office reported that Angolan health authorities had recorded 796 confirmed mpox cases and two deaths since 2024, and said the country was strengthening surveillance, treatment, coordination and risk communication through its emergency operations centre.
Latest reports
- · WHO Regional Office for Africa · Official
Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance - Quarter three report 2026 - · fed.brid.gy · Social post, not counted
#News: Illegal #Wildlife trade study finds animals sold are 50% more likely to carry #diseases to humans like #Ebola… - · msn.com · Media, unverified
Mpox is still spreading in the US — here's what to know about vaccines, symptoms and treatment - · afro.who.int · Media, unverified
Journalists visit COESP and bolster the response to Mpox in Angola - · Santé publique France · Official
Health surveillance in Réunion. Bulletin of October 2, 2026. - · citizen.co.za · Media, unverified
Mpox outbreak worsens in South Africa: What you need to know about symptoms and spread - · medicalxpress.com · Media, unverified
Mpox outbreak in 2022 caused by less severe form of the virus, study reveals