Health authorities in China confirmed Thursday that five cases of a new strain of mpox, Clade 1b, have been detected.
The outbreak, linked to an individual with a history of living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been “effectively handled,” according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dr. Li Wei, a spokesperson for the CDC, stated that the four individuals who contracted the virus were showing only mild symptoms, including rashes and blisters. “They are receiving appropriate medical treatment, and all are under health observation,” Dr. Li stated in an interview with local media. “Currently, there have been no new cases identified among other contacts.”
Mpox, a virus transmitted from animals to humans, can also spread through close physical contact. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, and large boil-like lesions, sometimes leading to death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency in August, following a deadly outbreak in the DRC that has claimed over 1,000 lives.
China first began screening travelers for mpox in August, just days after the WHO’s emergency declaration, in an effort to prevent further spread.
