China Elevates Mpox Outbreak to Class B

China has now classified mpox as a Class B infectious disease as cases surged in August 2023.

The South China Morning Post reported on September 15, 2023, that The Class B category also includes diseases such as COVID-19, HIV/Aids, dengue, and rabies.

The National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China announced the change would take effect next week with upgraded prevention and control measures against mpox spreading in the local population.

Data from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) website indicates there were 501 confirmed mpox cases across 25 provinces in August 2023. That compared with 491 cases in July and 106 in June.

The CCDC website says Mpox is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) and is characterized by fever, a rash, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus was first isolated from a specimen of a suspected smallpox patient from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.

Suspected and confirmed cases of mpox should be promptly transported to medical institutions for isolation and treatment. If their clinical symptoms improve significantly and the lesions have scabbed, they can opt to stay at home in China until the scabs fall. 

During home quarantine, patients should reside in a single room and avoid immediate contact with family members, says the CCDC.

The website says there is no vaccine available on the Chinese mainland to prevent mpox as of September 2023.

As of September 2023, over 1.2 million (1st and 2nd) JYNNEOS® (MVA-BN, IMVANEX®, IMVAMUNE®) vaccine doses had been administered in the U.S.

Mpox outbreaks in 2023 include countries in Africa, the Americas, France, Japan, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, and Taiwan. And in cities such as Chicago, Denver, London, and New York City.