South Africa reports four new mpox cases, total reaches 26
The Health Department said laboratory-confirmed cases reported since Jan. 1 rose from 22 to 26.
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South Africa’s Health Department confirmed four new mpox cases on October 18, taking the number of laboratory-confirmed cases reported since the start of 2026 from 22 to 26. Department figures reported by SAnews put 18 cases in Western Cape, three in Gauteng, two in Eastern Cape, two in Free State and one in KwaZulu-Natal.
Two of the Western Cape cases were imported infections in foreign nationals visiting South Africa; the other 16 were linked to local transmission. The department said 25 of the 26 patients were male, ages ranged from 23 to 50 and the median age was 37. Lineage information was available for 17 cases: 13 were Clade Ib and four Clade IIb.
Data
Mpox cases by province
| Western Cape | 18 |
| Gauteng | 3 |
| Eastern Cape | 2 |
| Free State | 2 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 1 |
Methodology
This table reproduces the provincial case breakdown in the South African Health Department’s October 18 statement. Cases are cumulative laboratory-confirmed reports since January 1, 2026; the figures do not represent an incidence rate.
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Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Communicable diseaseSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: mpoxwww.sanews.gov.za ↗
Geographic references
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- South Africa · Place role: Coverage · Place type: Country or area · Location precision: RegionalEvidence
- Explicit preserved editorial country/region; no city or national centroid inferredwww.sanews.gov.za ↗