South Africa's mpox cases rise to 26 as health department confirms four new infections

South Africa’s Department of Health announced on Sunday that four new laboratory-confirmed mpox cases have been recorded, bringing the country’s cumulative total to 26 cases since 1 January 2026, up from 22 (TimesLIVE, Sowetan, IOL).

Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said 18 of the 26 cases were reported in the Western Cape, followed by three in Gauteng, two each in the Eastern Cape and Free State, and one in KwaZulu-Natal. Of the Western Cape cases, two were imported infections involving foreign nationals visiting South Africa, while the remaining 16 were linked to local transmission.

Twenty-five of the 26 confirmed patients are male, aged between 23 and 50 with a median age of 37. Clade and lineage information was available for 17 of the cases, of which 13 were associated with the Clade Ib mpox virus and four with Clade IIb, Mohale said (The Citizen).

The department urged the public to remain vigilant and seek healthcare promptly if they develop symptoms such as a rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or fatigue. People who have been in close contact with a confirmed or suspected case should inform healthcare workers and monitor themselves for 21 days, avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone showing an mpox-like rash, and not share bedding, towels or clothing (Algoa FM).

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