China steps up efforts to prevent mpox spread

BEIJING -- China is redoubling its efforts to prevent the spread of the mpox disease, as a growing number of cases have been reported in certain parts of Asia and a few cases were found in Chinese cities including Beijing and Guangzhou, a health official said Tuesday.

In a bid to detect patients as early as possible, the country has been building a mpox monitoring and early warning system, with a particular focus on the protection of key groups, said Shi Guoqing, an official with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Efforts have been made in areas such as health monitoring of inbound travelers, epidemiological investigation for suspected cases, sample collection and laboratory testing, among others, according to Shi.

The mpox disease no longer represents a global health emergency, but the threat of its resurgence remains, the World Health Organization said last month.