Mpox cases decreased in New York City in December, continuing a downward trend that first started in November following a summertime spike.
There were 26 cases of mpox recorded in the city during the final month of 2025, down from 38 cases in November and a yearly-high 63 cases in October, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Among those who tested positive for mpox in December, 24 were male, while two were transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary individuals. Brooklyn, by far, made up the most cases when broken down by borough of residence, with 12, followed by seven in Queens, five in Manhattan, two in the Bronx, and none in Staten Island. That is a departure from recent months when Manhattan led the way in cases in September, October, and November.
Nonetheless, the decrease in cases over the last two months follows a months-long stretch of elevated cases dating back to the summer. Cases increased from 33 in June to 44 in July before jumping to 59 in August and 61 in September. The increase was similar to the seasonal uptick from 2024 when cases started increasing in the spring and remained elevated in the summer.
In November, officials told Gay City News that most of the people testing positive were either unvaccinated or only received one shot of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine. Health officials have repeatedly stressed that it is never too late to receive a second dose, even if individuals received the first dose in 2022.
While cases have ticked up multiple times in the last couple of years, it has not returned to the rate of nearly 100 cases per day that the city saw during the height of the 2022 outbreak.
Mpox has mostly been seen among men who have sex with men, but limited cases have also been seen among transgender or non-binary individuals. In the US, mpox has spread through oral, anal, and vaginal sex, along with other intimate contact. It can spread from the time symptons start until the time when rashes are fully healed and a new layer of skin forms. However, some people have spread mpox one to four days before symptoms appear, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
