China reports 1st monkeypox case
Mainland China records its first monkeypox case in an individual coming from abroad but who had no social activity, which lowers the risk of transmission.
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This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue) (NIAID via AP, File)
One case of the monkeypox virus infection was reported in the Chinese city of Chongqing on Friday in an individual arriving in the country from abroad, which marked China's first monkeypox infection.
The municipal health commission revealed in a statement that the transmission risk is low since the person infected was quarantined upon arrival in Chongqing, and all close contacts have been isolated and put under medical observation.
“The case was quarantined and controlled immediately after entering Chongqing, and there was no social activity,” the health commission’s statement said, citing health experts.
The person showed symptoms like a skin rash while being quarantined in line with Covid-19 measures, as per the statement.
The Chongqing case comes after the first case of monkeypox was reported in Hong Kong last week. Health authorities said it was a 30-year-old man arriving from the Philippines after traveling in the US and Canada.
Monkeypox is rarely lethal, but people with compromised immune systems are more likely to become extremely ill or die, according to health officials. Monkeypox can cause a rash, fever, body pains, and chills, but only a few people need to be hospitalized, and only a few deaths have been directly connected to the disease worldwide.
Around 90 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have so far reported outbreaks of the virus, which was declared a global health emergency on July 23 by the World Health Organization. More than 60,000 cases have been confirmed and some non-endemic countries have reported their first deaths due to the virus.
The United States has the most confirmed cases worldwide, with 21,985 confirmed cases. California has the most cases in the country, with over 4,300, according to the CDC. Black and Latino populations have been disproportionately affected.
