#MPOX, Multi-Country: Rapid #risk #assessment, 7 February 2026, v6 (#WHO, Feb. 18 '26)

{Excerpt}

Overall Global Risk Statement

-- This global rapid risk assessment (RRA) aims to assess the current public health risk associated with the 2024 upsurge of mpox in in Africa, in the context of the continuing global reporting of mpox cases in other regions since 2022, with a focus on updates since the previous RRA in September 2025.

Global overview

-- As of 28 January 2026, the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continues to spread globally, causing both localized and extended mpox outbreaks driven by various MPXV clades (Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb) in diverse settings.

-- Furthermore, recombination of MPXV clades has been documented, with two cases of a recombinant clade Ib/IIb MPXV strain reported in recent months.

-- Globally, from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025 (latest global data available), 143 countries and territories across all WHO regions have reported 177 848 confirmed cases, including 477 deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR] – 0.3%).

-- This marks an increase of five additional reporting countries (Kuwait, Mali, Madagascar, Namibia and Senegal), along with an additional 19 423 confirmed cases and 78 deaths since the last RRA in September 2025.

-- Since the last RRA, an average of 616 new confirmed mpox cases per week have been reported across all affected countries.

-- In addition, in January 2026, the Comoros and the French departments of Mayotte and la Réunion have reported cases linked to travel to Madagascar.

-- Previous versions of this RRA have categorized risk based on MPXV clade. However, in absence of substantial data suggesting differences in the mode of transmission between different MPXV clades, and with relatively limited data suggesting higher case fatality for clade Ia MPXV compared to other clades, this version of the RRA assesses the risk for three population groups:

- global risk for individuals with multiple sexual partners,

- local risk for children in mpox historically endemic areas, and

- global risk for all other individuals.

Individuals with multiple sexual partners – global risk

-- Since the start of the global mpox outbreak in 2022, sexual activity in linked sexual networks has been the primary driver of sustained transmission and geographic spread, particularly in newly affected areas.

-- In Europe and the Americas, up to 96% of cases were among men who have sex with men driven by spread among individuals with multiple sexual partners in a short space of time and frequent partner change.

-- While sexual behavior data for cases in newly affected African countries remain limited, the contribution of sexual transmission to the introduction, spread and establishment of mpox in communities has been recognized across all affected settings, as in the most recent outbreak in Madagascar.

-- In several countries, transmission has involved sex workers and their clients, and sexual networks with frequent and multiple partner change.

-- Sexual contact infection likely occurs during pre-symptomatic or less apparent stages of infection, the duration of which can vary between individuals.

-- People with few or mild genital lesions might not even recognise the infection.

-- Although the secondary attack rate for sexual contact is high (estimated at 16-73%), for the epidemic to spread it requires networks characterised by frequent partner change and high rates of partner turnover over short timeframe (days to few weeks).

-- This pattern was observed during the initial spread of clade IIb among communities of men who have sex with men, as well as in more recent MPXV clade Ib oubtreaks driven – in part – by key populations such as female sex workers and their clients.

-- We therefore consider within this group of multiple sexual partners, individuals with frequent partner change, and those who may engage in at-risk sexual behaviour, such as people who buy sex.

(...)

Source:

Link: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-rapid-risk-assessment---mpox--global-v.6

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