TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Health authorities on Tuesday confirmed Taiwan’s first case of the highly transmissible mpox clade Ib variant and urged eligible individuals to get vaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control announced the case during a regular press conference, saying the patient is a man in his 20s from northern Taiwan who reported engaging in unsafe sexual activity with an unspecified individual in Thailand in April, per a press release.

After returning to Taiwan, the man developed blisters on his genitals and rashes on his hands and feet. Following medical testing, he was diagnosed with mpox. Genotyping later confirmed the infection was caused by mpox subclade Ib of clade I. Previous cases had all involved clade II strains.

Health authorities also reported a separate local mpox case this month involving a man in his 40s from northern Taiwan. The patient reported engaging in unsafe sexual behavior with an unspecified partner and sought medical attention after developing multiple blisters on his body. He later tested positive for mpox.

According to the CDC, more than 179,000 confirmed mpox cases and 503 deaths have been reported in 144 countries since 2022, primarily in the Americas and Africa. Data shows the mortality rate for clade Ib is slightly higher than for clade II, though disease severity largely depends on individual immunity. Vaccination remains one of the primary prevention measures.

In March, 48 countries and regions reported 1,235 new confirmed cases, including five deaths, with around 70% concentrated in Africa. Thailand reported 1,032 mpox cases between 2022 and the end of January, with most patients being men aged 30 to 39, according to a CDC press release.

The CDC assessed the risk of transmission to high-risk groups as medium, particularly individuals without regular sexual partners, while the risk to the general public remains low.

As of May 18, Taiwan had recorded 14 confirmed mpox cases this year, including 12 local and two imported infections. All cases involved men aged 20 to 50, bringing Taiwan’s total since 2022 to 530 cases, including 493 local and 37 imported infections.

Cases have been reported across Taiwan. Epidemiological investigations found that all confirmed cases involved unsafe sexual behavior, while nearly 90% of patients had not received mpox vaccinations.

Authorities said vaccination remains the most effective means of prevention and offers protection against both clade I and clade II strains. Taiwan currently has 312 participating medical institutions providing publicly funded mpox vaccinations.

Eligible individuals include those who have engaged in high-risk sexual behavior within the past year, such as having multiple sexual partners, working in the sex industry, or engaging in sexual activity in commercial venues. Individuals with a history of sexually transmitted infections or whose partners meet such criteria are also encouraged to receive the two-dose vaccine series.

The CDC said protection after two vaccine doses reaches approximately 90%, compared with 40% to 80% after only one dose. Vaccinated individuals who become infected also generally experience milder symptoms.

Health authorities advised travelers visiting epidemic areas or high-risk domestic venues to avoid close contact with unspecified individuals and monitor themselves for symptoms, including rashes, blisters, fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes. People experiencing suspected symptoms are urged to wear masks and seek medical attention promptly while informing doctors of recent travel or exposure history.

Information on publicly funded vaccination institutions can be found on the CDC website. Individuals not eligible for publicly funded mpox vaccination but assessed by physicians as being at risk of exposure may receive the vaccine at one of eight contracted hospitals nationwide at their own expense.

For additional information, the public can call the toll-free epidemic prevention hotline at 1922 or 0800-001922.