Active Mpox Transmission Confirmed in Guinea-Bissau

Health authorities are intensifying surveillance in Guinea-Bissau after the World Health Organization confirmed that community transmission of mpox remains active in the West African country.

As of 23 August, Guinea-Bissau had recorded 58 suspected cases, of which 10 were laboratory confirmed. No deaths had been recorded.

The numbers are relatively small, and the development should not be reported in alarmist terms.

What makes the situation epidemiologically important is the evidence of community transmission.

That means infections cannot simply be treated as isolated imported cases. Health authorities must identify people who have been exposed, trace contacts, recognise new cases quickly and interrupt local transmission chains.

WHO is supporting national authorities with surveillance, laboratory testing, risk communication and other outbreak-response measures.

The situation also illustrates a broader lesson from recent infectious-disease emergencies: relatively small outbreaks can become considerably harder to contain when surveillance is delayed.

Early detection therefore remains crucial.

Source: World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa; Guinea-Bissau health authorities, 27 August 2026.