On Monday, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported eight new cases of Mpox in Taiwan this year, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 367 as of May 15. Of this total, 20 cases were imported from abroad and 347 cases were locally transmitted.
The WHO has indicated that Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, continues to spread globally. Since 2022, the main strain seen globally and in Taiwan has been clade IIb, which has a 99.9% survival rate. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has reported more than 19,000 suspected Mpox cases and more than 900 deaths since January 2023, a new clade Ib virus strain appeared in September 2023. While previous strains of Mpox were first transmitted from animals to humans, this new strain transmits more easily from human to human.
Although these more dangerous strains of the Mpox virus have not been detected in Taiwan, the CDC has urged high-risk groups and individuals who have multiple sex partners to get vaccinated against the virus as soon as possible. The CDC recommends receiving two doses of the vaccine spaced two weeks apart for optimal protection.
Currently, 167 medical institutions throughout Taiwan provide Mpox vaccination services. For information about providers and appointment registration, readers can check the CDC’s press releases, or call the CDC hotline for help in English.