Portugal ranks sixth globally in recorded mpox cases.
Monkeypox Cases in Europe: A Comprehensive Breakdown
Europe has witnessed a surge in monkeypox cases since the outbreak began in 2022, with Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom emerging as the hardest hit among the 30 countries within the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA).
According to a joint report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) regional delegation for Europe, Portugal recorded 1,221 cases of monkeypox. The country trails behind Spain (8,632), France (4,430), Germany (4,236), the United Kingdom (4,215), and the Netherlands (1,464) in reported cases. Italy registered 1,148 cases, while Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Greece, and Norway each recorded several hundred cases.
Data reveals that since March 7, 2022, a total of 29,607 cases of monkeypox have been identified in 47 countries and regions within the WHO European Region. Out of these, 29,455 cases were reported to the ECDC and WHO European delegation through the European Surveillance System (TESSy), with 0.65% of the cases deemed "probable." The majority of cases (98%) affected males, and the most affected age group was 31 to 40 years (40%).
Portugal has experienced three outbreaks of the disease, with two deaths since May 2022, as per information from the Directorate-General for Health. In the last three months, 713 cases of monkeypox have been reported across 24 countries and regions. In the past four weeks, 289 cases of the infectious disease have been identified in 18 countries and regions. In these periods, Portugal registered 11 and seven cases, respectively, while Germany identified 146 and 77, Spain 151 and 47, France 47 and 25, and Italy 61 and 25.
Although monkeypox cases peaked during the 2022-2023 outbreak phase, they continue to be monitored and managed across Europe with focused public health strategies. Spain, France, and Germany have been the most affected countries in Europe, with thousands of cases reported; however, the overall risk to the general population remains low due to ongoing control measures.
In the ongoing monkeypox outbreak, Portugal has reported a significant number of cases, with 1,221 since the outbreak began in 2022, and continues to manage the disease as part of broader health-and-wellness initiatives. Amid the widespread incidence of medical-conditions across Europe, Portugal's cases demonstrate the importance of science-based approaches in monitoring and addressing the propagation of monkeypox.
