Mpox: China tightens precautions at ports as global cases increase

Stringent measures, which include mandatory declarations from passengers who are coming from areas where mpox is detected, will be in place for six months, Chinese authorities said

Published: Fri 16 Aug 2024, 1:51 PM

Updated: Fri 16 Aug 2024, 3:17 PM

This undated file image shows a colorised transmission electron micrograph of mpox particles (green) found within an infected cell (pink and purple), cultured in a laboratory in the US. — Photo: AFP file / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Maryland

Chinese customs authorities have announced tighter surveillance measures at ports of entry to prevent the import of the mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) virus, following a rise in global cases, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

People coming from countries and regions where mpox cases have been confirmed and who have been exposed to mpox or have symptoms — such as fever, headache, back pain, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes and rashes — should declare their conditions to customs upon entry, said China's General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Customs officers will implement medical measures and conduct sampling and testing in accordance with the prescribed procedures, the GAC said in an online statement.

Contaminated or potentially contaminated vehicles, containers, and goods from countries and regions where mpox cases have been reported will be sanitised.

These new measures, which took effect immediately upon its announcement on August 15, will be valid for six months, the GAC noted.

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.

Data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention shows that during the past week alone, more than 2,000 new mpox cases have been reported in Africa. Last week, the health body said some 38,465 mpox cases and 1,456 deaths had been reported in Africa since January 2022 — affecting at least 16 countries across all five regions.

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