South Africa reports four new Mpox cases

South Africa's Department of Health has confirmed four new Mpox infections, raising the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 26 since the beginning of 2026. The majority of cases are male, with 25 of the 26 recorded infections affecting men aged between 23 and 50.

Geographically, the Western Cape has recorded the highest number of infections with 18 cases. Of these, 16 are linked to local transmission and two are imported cases involving foreign nationals. Other reported cases include three in Gauteng, two in the Eastern Cape, two in the Free State, and one in KwaZulu-Natal.

Regarding the virus lineage, clade information is available for 17 cases: 13 are associated with Clade Ib and four with Clade IIb. Health officials are urging the public to monitor for symptoms such as fever, rash, headache, and swollen lymph nodes, and to avoid close skin-to-skin contact with individuals displaying Mpox-like symptoms.