Malawi has recorded a new confirmed case of Mpox after a 21-year-old male student from Mtandire, Lilongwe, tested positive on 19 August 2025, the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) has confirmed.
According to PHIM, the student sought treatment at Bwaila Health Facility with fever symptoms and a skin rash. He had no underlying health condition or recent travel history outside the country. Laboratory tests conducted on swab samples collected from his skin lesions confirmed the Mpox infection.
The new case brings the cumulative number of laboratory-confirmed Mpox cases in Malawi to 75 since the first case was detected on 17 April 2025. Four of these cases were reported during the week of 11–17 August.
Health authorities say the District Rapid Response Team (DRRT) has already planned contact tracing, follow-ups, and investigations to curb the spread. Nationally, the response includes an activated Incident Management System, strengthened rapid response teams, trained medical personnel, and ongoing risk communication and community engagement using a multi-sectoral One-Health approach.
Out of the 75 confirmed cases, 59 have been reported in Lilongwe, with smaller clusters in Blantyre, Mangochi, Salima, and six other districts. Forty-five patients are male and 27 female, ranging in age from 2 to 75 years.
So far, 56 patients have fully recovered, while 13 remain under clinical care. Three are hospitalised in Lilongwe, and 10 are in home isolation. Two cases in Lilongwe were classified as lost to follow-up after health teams failed to trace them. Since August 2024, 360 suspected samples have been tested, with one Mpox-related death reported.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans and between humans through direct contact, respiratory droplets, bodily fluids, or contaminated materials. It presents symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are considered at higher risk of severe illness.
PHIM says it will continue monitoring the outbreak and provide updates as new developments emerge.
