A cluster of mPox in Ireland includes three confirmed cases and one probable case of Clade 1b mpox, involving two females, one male and one child.
The initial case linked to a recent return from the Eastern Mediterranean region, with two cases from close contact. All cases have recovered, and remaining contacts show no symptoms, maintaining low risk to the population. Clade 1b differs from the milder Clade 2 circulating since 2022, with no deaths reported in Europe.
Globally, over 34,000 mpox cases occurred since January 2025, resulting in 138 deaths, mainly in Africa.
Ireland;s Health Protection Surveillance Centre shared “The confirmed cases were two females, and one male, one of whom is a child. The first confirmed case was linked to a person who had recently returned from the Eastern Mediterranean region – the probable case. All other contacts are well. All cases have recovered. The risk to the Irish population remains low. Both clades are similar in terms of their effect on human health, and there is an effective vaccine available.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared “We also have a better understanding of the drivers of transmission, the risk factors for severity, and the most affected countries have developed a sustained response capacity. This based on case numbers and deaths steadily declining in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries, including Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Of course, lifting the emergency declaration does not mean the threat is over, nor that our response will stop.”
