501 New Mpox Cases in China in August: "92.5% Male-to-Male Sexual Contact"

Last month, 501 new cases of MPOX (monkeypox) were reported in China.

Monkeypox virus particles (in red) viewed under an electron microscope. / Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the 9th, 501 new MPOX infection cases were reported in 25 out of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in mainland China in August. Compared to the previous month (23 regions, 491 cases), the number of affected areas increased by two, and new infections rose by 10.

By region, Guangdong Province had the highest number with 95 cases, followed by Zhejiang Province with 77, Beijing and Sichuan Province with 54, and Shanghai with 32.

Among the new infections, 98.9% were male, and 92.5% were reported to have had sexual contact between men. The five infected women were confirmed to have had heterosexual contact within 21 days of symptom onset. There was only one case of infection through close contact with an infected person.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated, "Sexual contact between men is the main cause of the outbreak, but it also shows that there is a high risk of infection through heterosexual contact," adding, "The possibility of transmission through indirect contact is extremely low."

The first MPOX infection case in China was confirmed in Chongqing in September last year. Since then, the number of cases remained in single digits, but after 106 new infections in June this year, 491 new cases were added in July, showing a rapid increase. There have been no severe cases or deaths.

MPOX was an endemic disease in Central and West Africa but spread worldwide after May last year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been 89,596 confirmed MPOX cases in 114 countries to date, with 157 deaths. The WHO declared MPOX an international public health emergency in July last year but lifted the declaration in mid-May this year, 10 months later.