TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Centers for Disease Control on Tuesday reported four new confirmed mpox cases, including two locally acquired infections and two imported cases, one of which was the country's second imported infection involving the Clade Ib variant.
The four individuals are men in their 20s to 40s who developed symptoms after mid-May. None had received an mpox vaccine before becoming infected, per a press release.
The patients sought medical treatment after developing symptoms including rashes on the genitals, limbs, and torso, as well as fever, chills, and general malaise. Laboratory testing later confirmed all four infections, with the remaining three cases involving the milder Clade II strain.
As of July 6, Taiwan has recorded 19 confirmed mpox cases, including 15 locally acquired and four imported infections. All patients have been men aged 20 to 50. Since mpox became a Category II notifiable infectious disease in June 2022, Taiwan has confirmed 535 cases, including 496 domestic infections and 39 imported cases.
The agency said many confirmed cases involved individuals who had engaged in unsafe sexual behavior, while nearly 90% of patients had not been vaccinated against mpox. Despite the recent cases, the total number reported this year remains below the same period in 2024 and 2025, when 24 and 21 cases, respectively, had been confirmed.
As of the end of June, about 110,000 people in Taiwan had received at least one dose of the mpox vaccine, while more than 78,000 had completed the recommended two-dose series. Approximately 31,000 people, or nearly 30% of those who received a first dose, have yet to receive their second shot, per the press release.
The agency said the incubation period for mpox can last up to 21 days, and infected individuals may be contagious one to four days before symptoms appear. Health officials said vaccination remains the most effective protection against both Clade Ib and Clade II viruses. One vaccine dose provides an estimated 40% to 80% protection, while completing the two-dose series raises protection to about 90%.
Health authorities said 312 designated medical institutions nationwide provide publicly funded mpox vaccinations. Eligible individuals, including those who have engaged in high-risk sexual behavior within the past year, are urged to complete the two-dose vaccination series as soon as possible.
People who are not eligible for publicly funded vaccination but are assessed by physicians to be at risk can receive the vaccine at their own expense through one of eight contracted travel medicine clinics nationwide. Information on vaccination sites and eligibility is available on the CDC website.
