New Mpox outbreak with 37 cases in Lisbon and Tagus Valley

A total of 37 cases of Mpox virus infection have been detected in Portugal since June, with a new outbreak reported in Lisbon and the Tagus Valley region, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) said.

“After no new cases of smallpox were reported in Portugal for three months, 37 new cases have been confirmed since June 19, 2023,” the DGS website said in a statement about the outbreak, formerly known as monkeypox.

According to published data, 12 cases of infection were confirmed between June 12 and 30, and the remaining 25 cases were confirmed between July 1 and 20.

These new cases concern men living in the Lisbon and Tagus region, most of whom are between the ages of 20 and 40. The Directorate General also recommends adherence to previously defined rules to interrupt chains of transmission and to protect the most vulnerable.

In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of an international public health emergency for smallpox disease, the highest alert level in place since July 2022.

The latest DGS data published on June 30 showed that Portugal has had 965 confirmed cases of Mpox since May 3, 2022, when the presence of the virus was detected in Portugal, as well as one death.

From January 1, 2022 to July 11, the organization recorded a total of 88,288 cases across 112 countries and territories and 149 deaths, according to the WHO.

The most common symptoms of infection are fever, severe headache, muscle pain, back pain, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes with progressive rashes affecting the skin and mucous membranes.

The virus is transmitted through close physical contact, such as trauma or bodily fluids, or through contact with contaminated materials such as sheets, towels, or personal utensils.