Argentina's Health Ministry has confirmed 15 cases of mpox during 2026, including 4 new detections of clade Ib in recent weeks. The patients, from Córdoba, San Juan and Buenos Aires province, are recovering well at home with no hospitalizations required.

Health Alert: 4 New Mpox Cases Reported in Argentina

The National Ministry of Health confirmed that Argentina registered 15 cases of mpox during 2026, according to the National Epidemiological Bulletin (BEN) No. 821, corresponding to epidemiological week 31 (August 2-8). The report, published on August 18, shows 4 new confirmations compared to the previous update in week 26.

The new cases involve residents of Córdoba, San Juan, and Buenos Aires Province (two cases). Two of them had travel history to Germany and France. All patients have recovered favorably and underwent the illness under home isolation, without needing hospitalization.

What is mpox? Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection caused by an orthopoxvirus. It spreads through direct contact with skin lesions, mucous membranes, or respiratory droplets. Though rarely fatal, it can cause painful rashes and other symptoms. Argentina has robust surveillance systems to detect and contain these cases.

“The detection of clade Ib cases requires us to strengthen surveillance, but all patients progressed well, with no severe conditions,” health authorities highlighted.

Geographic Distribution and Case Characteristics

Of the 15 confirmed cases nationwide, 8 are concentrated in Buenos Aires City (CABA), 3 in Córdoba, 2 in Buenos Aires Province, 1 in San Juan, and 1 in Río Negro. Notably, 87% reside in the central region of the country.

  • Sex and age: 14 male and 1 female, aged between 21 and 50 years.
  • Exposure: Of the 10 cases with available information, 8 reported same-sex relationships as the main exposure.
  • Vaccination: The San Juan case had no prior mpox vaccination history.

The National Reference Laboratory ANLIS “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán” identified nine cases of clade I during 2026 (three in Córdoba, three in CABA, two in Buenos Aires province, and one in San Juan). The four clade Ib cases are a subgroup of this classification.

Regional Context: OPS and International Situation

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) updated to week 26, the following cases have been detected in the region: 677 in the United States, 215 in Brazil, 88 in Chile, 69 in Mexico, 39 in Colombia, 35 in Canada, 16 in Bolivia, 7 in Ecuador, and 3 in Peru. Argentina’s total of 15 cases remains relatively low, but the Ministry insists on maintaining high-quality surveillance for early detection.

CountryCases (2026)
United States677
Brazil215
Chile88
Mexico69
Colombia39
Canada35
Bolivia16
Ecuador7
Peru3
Argentina15

Ministry of Health Recommendations

The National Health Ministry urges:

  • Maintain high-quality epidemiological surveillance in all provinces.
  • Investigate travel history or contact with travelers and reconstruct contact networks, including recent sexual exposures.
  • Immediately implement isolation measures and contact tracing.
  • For the San Juan case, the protocol included home isolation with a private room, surface disinfection, and avoiding sharing personal items.

Regarding vaccination: mass vaccination is not recommended. The Ministry states that surveillance must identify high-risk individuals to set priorities if vaccines become available.

In other health news, Dengue begins the 2026/2027 season with low-risk conditions, while RSV is the most detected virus in recent severe hospitalizations (284 of 778 cases).

Source: National Epidemiological Bulletin No. 821 (August 18, 2026). Information current as of 19:09 hs (Argentina time).