The (China Center for Disease Control and Prevention) announced, this Thursday (9.Jan.2025), that it identified the first cases in the country of a new strain of the mpox virus, called clade 1b. The variant, originating in Africa, has already been registered in other parts of the world, such as Europe and the United States.
The 1st confirmed case involved a foreign citizen who visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most impacted countries. After the discovery, 4 more individuals who were in close contact with the 1st patient were also diagnosed with the disease. The specific locations of these cases, however, were not disclosed by authorities.
In response, provinces including Zhejiang, Guangdong, Beijing and Tianjin have activated prevention and control protocols. These measures include epidemiological tracking, risk assessment, diagnosis and treatment of cases.
The identified patients have experienced mild symptoms, such as rashes and blisters, and are being treated or monitored. The mpox clade 1b variant has caused global concern, especially after the WHO (World Health Organization) declared the outbreak in Africa a global health emergency the previous year.
Unlike the previous strain, which mainly affected men who have sex with men, this new strain has spread through different forms of physical contact, reaching a wider range of the population.
Asian countries including India and Pakistan have stepped up surveillance, asking travelers from affected areas to report symptoms and preparing hospitals for possible cases.
China is also requiring travelers coming from impacted regions or who have had contact with infected people to inform customs authorities, where they can undergo testing.
