Mpox Cases Rise to 18 in South Africa as Western Cape Bears Brunt

• South Africa confirmed 18 mpox cases and one probable case as of 17 September 2026, with the Western Cape the hardest-hit province
• The Department of Health said 13 of the cases were recorded in just over a month, raising concerns about the pace of local transmission
• The government has secured limited mpox vaccine doses with WHO support as authorities work to contain the outbreak

SOUTH AFRICA — South Africa has recorded 18 confirmed mpox cases and one probable case, with the Western Cape bearing the bulk of infections, the Department of Health has announced.

The figures, released as of 17 September 2026, show that 15 of the confirmed cases are concentrated in the Western Cape, predominantly within the City of Cape Town. Gauteng has recorded three cases, while KwaZulu-Natal has one.

Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said 13 of the 18 cases were reported between 13 August and 17 September, pointing to a quickening rate of local transmission. Patients range in age from 23 to 50 years, with a median age of 36.5, and 18 of the 19 cases involve male patients.

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Travel link and cross-border coordination

One of the most recent cases involves a person who travelled to Spain earlier in September and returned to South Africa on 14 September. Mohale said the individual was tested in Spain after being identified as a probable case, and local health officials are now coordinating with their Spanish counterparts to confirm the laboratory results.

Symptoms, transmission and what to watch for

The department describes mpox symptoms as including fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue and a rash or skin lesions. The lesions may appear on the face, hands, feet, privat parts or other parts of the body, typically beginning as flat red spots before progressing into fluid-filled blisters and pus-filled lesions that crust over.

Symptoms usually emerge six to 13 days after exposure, though the incubation window stretches from five to 21 days.Mpox spreads primarily through direct skin-to-skin contact with lesions, but can also be transmitted via contaminated bedding, clothing or towels. Prolonged face-to-face contact carries a risk of transmission through respiratory droplets.

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Anyone who develops symptoms, particularly following close contact with a confirmed or suspected case within the preceding 21 days, is urged to seek medical attention promptly and limit contact with others.

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Vaccines secured, stigma a concern

The government, with assistance from the World Health Organization has obtained a limited supply of mpox vaccines as part of its response strategy. Authorities will assess deployment priorities to target areas where the need is greatest.

Mohale also called on communities to treat those diagnosed with mpox with dignity, cautioning that stigma poses a direct public health risk by discouraging people from coming forward for testing and care.

Department announced Mpox crisis in 2024

Previously, Briefly News reported that in 2024, Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla has confirmed a new case and the second death linked to Monkeypox in South Africa. The latest patient, a 38-year-old male from Brakpan, Gauteng, was admitted to a hospital in uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal, presenting with severe symptoms, including extensive lesions and swelling of the lymph nodes.

Source: Briefly News