Baltimore City health officials are warning of an uptick in Mpox cases since Sept. 1.

Twenty-four cases of Mpox were reported in the city in 2025, however, more than half of the infections showed up in the last three months.

“The risk of Mpox to the general population remains very low,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Taylor. “We do not mean to alarm anybody. However, we wanted to ensure the public was aware of this increase in cases, especially so that people at higher risk of being exposed to Mpox can take actions to protect themselves.

Mpox is a virus that is often transmitted through intimate contact or close household exposure.

Symptoms include a painful rash with lesions that last two to four weeks.

Other symptoms include fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes.

The disease can be dangerous for people who have weakened immune systems because it can lead to more serious complications.

People more at risk are men who have sex with men and people with multiple sex partners.

Mpox vaccines are available at Baltimore City Health Department Sexual Health and Wellness clinics as well as at private practices and some commercial pharmacies.

The two main types of the disease – Clade I and Clade II.

Clade II tends to be milder because it’s been circulating in the United States since 2022.

Clade I is more severe, but rarer. A small number of Clade I cases were reported in California in October.

In 2022 a global outbreak of Mpox caused more awareness of the disease.

Since 2022, 855 people in Maryland have been infected and three people died.