Mpox in South Africa: 26 confirmed cases, 18 in the Western Cape

South Africa has recorded 26 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases as of 17 October 2026, according to the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Two of the cases were brought in from abroad, while the remaining 24 were linked to transmission within South Africa.

Key facts

• 26 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases reported as of 17 October 2026
• 18 cases are in the Western Cape, the hardest-hit province
• The first two Western Cape cases were imported: one German and one Norwegian national, both visiting South Africa when they were identified
• The other 24 cases were linked to local transmission
• 25 of the 26 cases were male, and cases ranged in age from 23 to 50
• No deaths are mentioned among the cases reported to date in this update

Where have the cases been reported?

The NICD gives the geographic breakdown of the 26 cases as follows: Western Cape 18, Gauteng 3, Eastern Cape 2, Free State 2 and KwaZulu-Natal 1. The Western Cape therefore accounts for the large majority of confirmed cases.

Were travellers among the cases?

The first two cases identified in the Western Cape were imported and involved a German national and a Norwegian national who were visiting South Africa at the time of identification, the NICD says. The remaining 24 cases reported nationally were linked to local transmission rather than to travel into the country.

Which virus variants have been identified?

Thirteen of the cases were associated with Clade Ib mpox virus, while four were confirmed as Clade IIb mpox virus. The clade has not been stated for the remaining cases.

How does this compare with earlier years?

Mpox was first detected in South Africa in 2022, during the peak of a multi-country outbreak, with five confirmed cases associated with Clade IIb (sub-lineage B.1.7). Three of those cases had a travel history to countries with ongoing outbreaks. No cases were reported in South Africa during 2023.

Between May and August 2024, the country reported 25 confirmed cases, including three deaths, associated with Clade IIb (sub-lineage B.1.20). All but one of the 2024 cases had no travel history outside South Africa before developing mpox.

During 2025, a total of 15 cases were diagnosed: 13 associated with Clade Ib and two with Clade IIb. They were found in Gauteng (8), KwaZulu-Natal (5), North West (1) and Western Cape (1), and no deaths were recorded among them.

What this means for travellers

Travellers can see from the NICD figures that the current cases are concentrated in the Western Cape and that most of them were acquired within South Africa rather than imported. The update gives no information on entry measures, screening at borders or travel advisories, and it does not report any deaths among the cases confirmed to date.