| Thursday, 26 March 2026 SITUATION REPORT Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #64 - 26 March 2026 The 64th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox has been published and can be accessed here: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-mpox--external-situation-report--64---26-march-2026 The report provides an update on mpox outbreak transmission dynamics across different clades and settings. It offers details on the global epidemiological situation for mpox, including an update on the epidemiological situation with data on the global situation as of 28 February 2026, in Africa as of 15 March 2026, and the operational response updates as of 18 March 2026. Highlights - Transmission of mpox continues mostly within sexual networks, affecting both women and men, followed by household transmission, and in some historically endemic areas, affecting all age groups. All clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate. Unless mpox outbreaks are rapidly contained and human-to-human transmission is interrupted, there is a risk of sustained community transmission in all settings.
- In February 2026, 46 countries across all WHO regions reported a total of 1 184 confirmed mpox cases, including four deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] 0.3%). Of these cases, 58.6% were reported in the WHO African Region.
- Four WHO regions – the Region of the Americas and the African, South-East Asian and Western Pacific regions – reported a decline in confirmed cases in February, compared to January 2026, while the European Region reported an increase in confirmed cases. The Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the same monthly case count in January and February 2026.
- Seventeen countries in Africa reported active transmission of mpox in the last six weeks (1 February – 15 March 2026), with 907 confirmed cases, including seven deaths (CFR 0.8%). Countries reporting the highest number of cases in this period are Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Burundi, and Liberia.
- Three countries, Argentina, Austria, and the Central African Republic, have reported mpox due to clade Ib MPXV for the first time.
- Outside Africa, community transmission of clade Ib MPXV continues in the WHO European Region, with Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reporting community transmission, including in sexual networks of men who have sex with men.
- On 7 April 2026, World Health Day, WHO will join a One Health summit convened by the Government of France. The Summit will foster international and interdisciplinary dialogue to highlight the interdependence of human,
animal, plant and ecosystem health, and the need for coordinated, science-based approaches to address shared health threats, including for emergency response.
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