Espírito Santo reached 17 confirmed cases of mpox in 2026 by the beginning of November. According to the bulletin from the State Department of Health (Sesa), of this total, six were registered only in the last epidemiological week — the highest number recorded in the period this year.
Throughout this year, cases were registered in seven municipalities: Cariacica, Colatina, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Linhares, Serra, Vila Velha and Vitória. Also according to information from the department, all 17 cases confirmed so far are male.
Age group and symptoms
The highest concentration of cases occurring in 2026 in the state is in the age group of 30 to 39 years, with six records. Next are patients aged 20 to 29 and 40 and 49 years old, with five cases each.
Among patients, symptoms were sudden fever, rash, weakness, headache, sore throat, nausea, muscle pain, chills and joint pain.
Comparison with 2025
The number of cases registered this year corresponds to just under half of that registered in the same period in 2025, when 38 cases were confirmed. At the time, there were 33 cases in male patients and six in female patients.
Brazil authorizes purchase of 20,000 doses of vaccine against the disease
The Ministry of Health authorized the purchase of up to 20 thousand doses of the vaccine against mpox to reinforce the stocks of the Unified Health System (SUS).
The measure was announced amid the recent rise in cases of the disease in Rio de Janeiro, despite the 94% drop in infections registered in the country compared to 2022.
The ministry also sent, this Wednesday (4), another 2,000 doses of the vaccine to the state of Rio de Janeiro to reinforce prevention and response actions to the disease.
With the new shipment, the total doses destined for the state in 2026 reached 3,500. According to the ministry, new shipments may occur as necessary.
As g1 showed, mpox cases are on the rise in Rio de Janeiro. In the last two months, the capital has confirmed more than 70 infections from the disease, seven times the number recorded in the same period last year.
This year, the country also confirmed 665 cases, compared to more than 10 thousand registered in 2022. Despite the significant reduction, the government considers it necessary to maintain vigilance and guarantee the availability of immunization agents to meet the demands of the states.
The acquisition was aligned in a meeting held this Wednesday (4) and will be made through the Revolving Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
According to the Ministry of Health, the purchase has a preventive and strategic nature. The objective is to replenish vaccine stocks and ensure that the SUS has the capacity to respond to possible changes in the epidemiological scenario.
Who can receive the mpox vaccine?
The national vaccination strategy prioritizes people living with HIV/AIDS who have a CD4 lymphocyte count below 100 cells/mm³, a group considered to be at higher risk for developing severe forms of mpox.
The vaccination schedule involves two doses, with an interval of 28 days between applications.
The Ministry of Health's guidance is that these people look for Reference Centers where they already undergo medical monitoring to register and subsequently schedule vaccination.
Other groups can also receive remaining doses of the vaccine:
People living with HIV/AIDS with a CD4 count below 200 cells/mm³;
Users of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP);
Laboratory professionals who handle mpox samples.
What are the symptoms and when to seek care?
People who present symptoms compatible with mpox, such as lesions or skin rashes, should seek a health service for evaluation.
During care, professionals investigate possible exposure to the virus, advise on necessary care and, when indicated, collect samples for laboratory diagnosis.
Anyone who has had close contact with a person suspected or confirmed of the disease should also seek care to assess the risk of exposure.
In these cases, it is important to monitor the appearance of signs and symptoms, such as:
Skin injuries;
Fever;
Enlargement of lymph nodes.
Mpox monitoring is carried out by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with state and municipal health departments.
Actions include identification and notification of suspected cases, epidemiological investigation, laboratory diagnosis, isolation of infected people and identification and guidance of contacts.
Post-contact vaccination can prevent infection
Vaccination against mpox can also be used after exposure to the virus.
According to the Ministry of Health, the recommendation is that the vaccine should be administered preferably within the first four days after contact.
Vaccination can also occur up to 14 days after exposure. But in this interval the effectiveness in preventing infection is lower. Still, immunization can help reduce the risk of progression to serious forms of the disease.
Can Mpox kill? Understand the symptoms, transmission and treatment
Although it is considered low risk for the general population, mpox can cause serious complications and even lead to death, especially in people with compromised immunity, such as HIV patients without adequate treatment, transplant recipients and people undergoing cancer treatment. According to experts from the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI), lethality in the most recent global outbreaks was generally below 1%.
The main form of transmission is direct contact with skin lesions, secretions or mucous membranes of infected people. The virus can also be transmitted by kissing and during sexual intercourse, although mpox is not classified as a classic sexually transmitted infection (STI). Transmission by respiratory droplets is possible, but requires close and prolonged contact.
The first symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, tiredness and enlarged lymph nodes, known as lumps. Then, blisters may appear on the skin, which evolve into lesions with pus and, later, crusts. The disease usually lasts two to four weeks, and the risk of transmission practically disappears when all the scabs fall off and the skin is completely healed.
In most cases, treatment involves controlling pain, fever and caring for injuries. In serious situations, the antiviral drug tecovirimat can be used.
