After a 70% increase in infections... Hong Kong intensifies measures to combat monkeypox

Hong Kong - Ofoq News - The Health Protection Center in Hong Kong announced an outbreak of monkeypox, known as "Empox", after the number of infections increased by 70% within a month, in light of the intensification of efforts aimed at reducing the spread of the infection.

The center explained, in a statement carried by the press office, that 21 new infections had been recorded since last August, equivalent to 70% of the total infections recorded during the current year up to that time.

He pointed out that the total number of monkeypox infections in Hong Kong has reached 114 cases since 2022, including 90 local infections and 24 imported cases, noting that all those infected are men.

According to the center’s data, Hong Kong has recorded 30 infections since the beginning of this year, including 23 local cases and 7 imported cases.

With the increase in infections, health authorities are working to implement multiple preventive and control measures aimed at reducing the transmission of infection and cutting the chains of its spread, in addition to increasing the number of vaccine doses available within the vaccination program against the disease.

In the same context, doctors warned that sexual contact, especially with unknown people, may contribute to the transmission of infection, calling for caution and taking the necessary preventive measures.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, and is also transmitted between people through direct contact, including contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids, and contaminated materials. The disease is historically linked to regions in central and western Africa, where cases of transmission from wild animals, including rodents and some species of monkeys, have been recorded.

The severity of the disease and the risk of death vary depending on the strain and health conditions of those infected, so single death rates cannot be generalized to all outbreaks.