October 24, 2025
Local transmission of clade 1b mpox cases detected in EU/EEA, ECDC urges renewed vigilance
Following the first detections of locally acquired mpox clade Ib cases within the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is calling for heightened awareness and targeted prevention measures.
Locally acquired mpox cases have now been confirmed in four countries. Spain reported its first such case on 10 October 2025, and the Netherlands on 17 October 2025. These have been followed by additional cases reported in Italy (2) and Portugal (1). This development is distinct from the previously reported travel-associated clade Ib cases between August 2024 and October 2025, mostly among returning travellers from mpox-endemic areas outside of the EU. These new cases have been reported among men, some of whom identify themselves as men who have sex with men, with no recent travel history to mpox-endemic areas. This indicates that transmission may be ongoing in sexual networks among men who have sex with men in European countries.
Read the full news item and Threat Assessment Brief by ECDC.