Taiwan’s first two cases of locally acquired mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) were reported yesterday as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warned that the risk of local infection has increased.
CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Deputy Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said the two cases are a man in his 40s in Hsinchu and a man in his 20s in Kaohsiung.
They had symptoms including a fever, papules, blisters and swollen lymph nodes, and were diagnosed with mpox on Sunday and Monday, Guo said.
Graphic courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control
Neither man had traveled abroad recently, so they have been counted as local cases, Guo said, adding that since June 23 last year, when mpox was made a Category 2 notifiable communicable disease, seven cases have been reported, with the previous five cases being imported.
The global mpox situation has been slowing, with the WHO’s analysis of recent cases showing that the majority were young men, with 68.8 percent of transmission occurring through sexual contact.
The WHO on Feb. 15 said that mpox would remain a “public health emergency of international concern.”
The world health body in November last year said that following “a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term ‘mpox’ as a synonym for monkeypox” and that “both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ‘monkeypox’ is phased out.”
CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said that there were no connections found between the two local cases and 25 close contacts had been identified, including four family members and two intimate contacts.
The conditions of the two men would be monitored until March 20, Lo said.
CDC Division of Chronic Diseases head Chan Pei-chun (詹珮君) said that mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that has become more transmissible among humans than avian flu.
It is mainly spread through intimate contact with an infected person through bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, lesions or contaminated objects, Chan said.
Rashes often start on the face or genital area and can spread to other parts of the body, with phases including spots, blisters and scabbing, she said.
People with suspected mpox symptoms should wear a mask and wash their hands before seeking medical attention, she said, adding that they should inform their doctor about their recent travel history and contact with suspected cases.
As local cases have been reported, people should take extra precautions in high-risk locations, such as where they might have intimate contact with unfamiliar people, Chan said.
Asian nations, including Japan and Thailand, have also recently reported local mpox cases, suggesting that a rise in international travel as COVID-19 restrictions have been eased globally has allowed mpox to spread more easily across borders, Lo said.
The CDC would convene an expert panel to discuss a program of pre-exposure mpox vaccination and communicate with civic groups about prevention among high-risk groups.
Speaking on other health matters, Guo said that cases of infectious diseases reported last week included four new serious flu complications and a high level of diarrhea cases, while enterovirus cases are expected to gradually increase.
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