Beyond COVID: China Braces for an mpox Crisis with Surging Cases

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), China has experienced the highest increase in weekly mpox cases. While the United States and Europe have seen a decline in mpox infections, China is witnessing a steady rise in cases.

Data from the WHO shows that for the week ending July 21, China reported 117 confirmed cases of mpox. This marks a significant increase from the 315 cases reported between the weeks ending May 5 and July 21. It’s worth noting that only six cases were confirmed throughout the entirety of 2022.

The recent surge in cases is particularly concerning as it represents a more than 50% rise over the last three weeks. Dr. Peter-Chin Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, explains that this outbreak demonstrates how mpox can spread to places that had not experienced significant cases before. He emphasizes that even if a disease is relatively less transmissible, it can still have far-reaching effects in today’s interconnected world.

The mpox outbreak initially began in the United Kingdom in spring 2022 and later spread throughout Europe and the U.S. At that time, China still had COVID-related restrictions in place and limited travel in and out of the country.

The outbreak primarily affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, although the virus can infect anyone, irrespective of sexual orientation. However, with changes in behavior and a robust vaccination campaign, the outbreak in the U.S. was eventually brought under control.

Unfortunately, after the WHO declared the mpox public health emergency over in May 2023, cases began rising in Asia, including Japan, Thailand, and China. Notably, case reporting in Beijing has been irregular, with the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releasing only one report documenting 106 cases in June.

China currently does not use any of the three vaccines available globally to prevent mpox. The country shows a preference for its domestically produced diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics, and there have been early trials for a Chinese mpox vaccine, though not much outreach has been observed.

Despite the rise in cases, there has been a lack of urgency in combating the outbreak in China, as evidenced by the Chinese CDC only posting a program to prevent and control the spread on July 26. This program included a public education component but did not mention a vaccine campaign.

While the situation may not seem immediately concerning for the U.S., experts warn that diseases can spread quickly in our interconnected world, as demonstrated by COVID-19. As such, it’s crucial to monitor and address health concerns in other countries to prevent secondary outbreaks that could affect the global population.