China announced on Thursday that it has recorded five cases of a new variant of mpox but assured the public that the outbreak has been “effectively controlled.” This viral disease primarily presents with high fever and skin lesions known as vesicles.
Historically, mpox was concentrated in approximately ten African countries since its discovery in the 1970s; however, it spread globally in 2022, reaching developed nations as well. In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the highest level of alert in response to the mpox outbreak, a declaration that was renewed in November as the number of cases and affected countries continued to rise.
At that time, China announced plans to test individuals entering the country for the virus over a six-month period. On Thursday, Chinese health authorities reported an outbreak of mpox from clade 1b, identifying one individual who had traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the source of infection.
The virus was isolated from four individuals who had come into contact with this patient, all of whom displayed mild symptoms, according to a statement from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The infected individuals and those at risk are receiving medical treatment and health monitoring, and the outbreak has been effectively contained,” the statement indicated. The center also confirmed that no additional cases have been detected among their contacts to date.
