Lisbon: Portuguese health authorities on Tuesday announced that there have been 29 confirmed mpox cases over the past three months. The cases were distributed with 10 reported in August, three in September, and 16 in October.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) and the National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) informed broadcaster RTP that there has been an observable increase in the number of cases recently. This uptick suggests a possible intensification of transmission, although there is no current evidence pointing to a new epidemic peak.

The DGS and INSA highlighted that the reported cases saw a significant rise in October compared to the monthly average of approximately 11 cases. They emphasized that understanding this increase still requires laboratory confirmations and continued observation of the trend in reported cases over the coming weeks.

In a report released in October, the World Health Organization (WHO) also warned that all known strains of the mpox virus continue to circulate, raising concerns about sustained community transmission if outbreaks are not swiftly contained. Additionally, a newly detected clade, known as clade Ib, has now spread beyond Africa.