OHA Urges Vaccination Amid Global Rise In Clade I Mpox Transmission - 07/09/26
July 9, 2026
Media Contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov
OHA urges vaccination amid global rise in clade I mpox transmission
Mpox type can cause more severe symptoms than clade II version of virus
PORTLAND, Ore.—Public health officials are urging people at higher risk of exposure to mpox to get vaccinated—and for health care providers to watch for symptoms among patients—as transmission of a more serious type of the virus increases globally.
Community transmission of clade I mpox virus type is increasing in several countries around the world, including in western Europe, and central and eastern Africa. Symptoms of clade I mpox may be associated with more severe disease than clade II mpox, which caused the ongoing, global outbreak of the virus among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men that started in 2022.
Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at Oregon Health Authority (OHA), said people at higher risk of mpox infection should get the vaccine, known as JYNNEOS, as soon as possible.
“A recent uptick in mpox cases in other states has primarily been among men who have sex with men,” Sidelinger said. “While June is Pride Month, Pride events and festivals attracting gay men continue through the summer and into the fall. Some attendees at these events might engage in sexual behavior with other folks they meet at these events so should consider vaccination to protect against mpox, if they haven’t gotten the vaccine already.”
It’s also important for health care providers to know what symptoms to look for when seeing patients, Sidelinger said, and knowing who is most at risk.
Mpox spreads primarily through close, skin-to-skin contact. Most often, it has occurred through intimate or sexual contact, or during contact with the lesions of an individual with mpox through a caregiving relationship, such as a parent caring for a child or an adult caretaker of another person.
Infection rates are highest among people living in Multnomah County, those ages 30 to 39, and members of the Hispanic and Black/African American communities. Most cases were men who reported having sex with men, and most identified as gay or bisexual men.
In Oregon, one mpox case was reported in January 2026, and there have been no reported cases since then. There were five cases in 2022 when the global mpox outbreak began, and 10 cases—the state’s highest yearly count—in 2023. In 2024, there were nine cases, and eight cases in 2025.
People who suspect they have mpox should contact their health care provider to let them know before going in to be seen. The provider may recommend testing for mpox. Those who don’t have a health care provider can call 2-1-1 or their local public health authority for help finding a clinic or health care provider.
About JYNNEOS
The JYNNEOS mpox vaccine is highly effective. According to a May 2023 study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the vaccine was found to be 75% effective for those receiving one dose and 86% effective for those who had two doses.
JYNNEOS is licensed as a series of two doses administered 28 days apart. If more than 28 days have passed, patients should receive the second dose as soon as possible and do not need to restart the series. JYNNEOS vaccine is expected to be effective against both clades of mpox.
For patients who have received two JYNNEOS doses, no additional or booster doses are currently recommended. Vaccination is not recommended for patients who have previously recovered from mpox.
JYNNEOS is available through health care providers and commercial pharmacies, and it remains free to Oregon Health Plan members. Oregon law requires vaccine’s cost to be covered for others with commercial insurance.
For more information about mpox in Oregon, visit OHA’s mpox website.