Ireland detects first case of Mpox Clade 1 variant

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced the identification of the first case of a novel, more transmissible variant of Mpox in the Republic of Ireland. The Irish resident, who had been infected with the Clade 1 variant, had recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is currently receiving specialist care in a Dublin hospital. Mpox is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox but is typically much less virulent. The infection generally lasts between 14 and 21 days before the body can clear the virus, although in some cases it can be fatal, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. The most efficacious approach to the management of the Mpox outbreak is the implementation of preventative measures through the administration of vaccines. However, the distribution of these vaccines is typically restricted to high-risk groups or those exposed to infected individuals. There are broadly two main types of Mpox, namely Clade 1 and Clade 2. The 2022 Mpox public health emergency was attributed to the relatively mild symptoms of Clade 2, and as such, the HSE has reported a single case of Clade 1 in the Republic of Ireland. The number of cases of Clade 2 Mpox in Ireland remains low, with eight cases reported in 2025, compared to 25 cases in 2024, 13 cases in 2023, and 227 cases in 2022.