Portugal recorded a significant increase in mpox transmission throughout 2026, with 282 confirmed cases between 1 January and 31 August, according to data from the Directorate-General for Health cited by the Lusitanean news agency. The largest increase began to be observed at the end of May and became more evident during the months of June and July. Despite this increase, recent weeks have shown a reduction in the number of new cases. Among those infected, 18 people required hospitalisation, which corresponds to 6.4% of the total confirmed cases.
The World Health Organization confirmed the existence of community transmission in Portugal of one of the variants of the virus responsible for mpox, the clade Ib. Portugal reported 66 cases associated with this lineage, and the same variant was also identified in other European countries, including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. The DGS identified 13 groups of epidemiologically related cases, with an average of 2.4 infections per group, of which nine had clade Ib detected, seven of which were in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region.
The vast majority of infected people are men, representing 97.9% of cases, with a mean age of approximately 35 years. Lisbon and Tagus Valley concentrates 66.7% of all confirmed infections. Among infected men, 81.2% reported having had sexual relations with other men. In 80.5% of analysed cases, the clade I of the virus was detected.
The DGS ensures that it continues to monitor the epidemiological evolution of the disease and develop prevention measures, including information actions aimed at the population and health professionals. The strategy also includes promoting the vaccination available through the National Health Service among people considered at higher risk of exposure. The health authority maintains the appeal for prevention and seeking healthcare whenever symptoms compatible with mpox appear, such as skin lesions, fever, and enlargement of the lymph nodes.
