The CDC announced Friday that six new locally transmitted cases of Mpox were reported in June, double the number of new cases from the last two months. Eligible persons are urged to receive two doses of the Mpox vaccine as soon as possible.
All six new cases were in Taiwanese males in their 20s and 30s, with disease onset occurring between June 1 and June 17. The patients presented with rashes that gradually progressed to blisters and pustules. The incubation period of Mpox can be as long as 21 days and the disease can be transmitted 1-4 days before any symptoms occur.
According to monitoring data from the WHO, an average of about 800 new cases of Mpox have been reported monthly in 2024. Increased spread has been observed in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, and Australia, though sporadic cases have also been reported in South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and other countries.
Taiwan officially classified Mpox as a Category II communicable disease in June 2022. A total of 375 cases have been confirmed as of Wednesday, including 353 local cases and 22 imported cases. Of the 16 new cases this year, 13 cases were locally transmitted. The CDC urges high-risk groups and individuals who have multiple sexual partners to receive two doses of the Mpox vaccine as soon as possible.