With the disease Mpox, Berlin has this year so far seen significantly more people infected than in previous years. Since the start of the year through April 5, the Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lageso) reported exactly 71 cases. In 2025, there were 61 cases in the same period; in 2024 there were 14 and in 2023 only 10. Mpox is a rare illness and is transmitted through close physical contact, particularly during sex.
According to Lageso, the affected population in Berlin remains predominantly male. Most infections occurred there as well. “Time spent outside Berlin within the potential exposure window is reported for only four of the affected individuals.”
The virus mainly triggers a skin rash, but fever and muscle aches can also occur. The risk of transmission is highest when there is contact with the characteristic skin changes (blisters or scabs) of someone with mpox. Droplet transmission is also possible, i.e., through saliva. Cases were first identified in Germany in May 2022. There have been no deaths to date, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
There is a vaccine recommended, among others, for men who have sex with men and who frequently change partners, as well as sex workers. For men who have sex with men and frequently changing sexual partners, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the risk of mpox infection to be moderate. For other parts of the population, the risk is assessed as low.
For more than half (63 percent) of the mpox cases in Berlin this year, the Clade Ib variant has been detected. The first case in Berlin was identified only in December 2025. Clade Ib has been circulating since 2024, mainly in Central Africa.
