Official announcements from the World Health Organization

China Detects New Mpox Strain Clade Ib, Four Mild Cases Linked to Congo Outbreak Amid Global Emergency

Jan 9, 2025, 08:15 AM

China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention has detected a new mutated strain of the mpox virus, identified as clade Ib, which was traced back to a foreigner who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This discovery comes as the virus continues to spread to more countries following the World Health Organization's declaration of a global public health emergency last year. Four additional cases with mild symptoms, including skin rash and blisters, were reported among close contacts of the initial case. Mpox spreads through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. The outbreak in China is part of a broader spread of the virus, which has seen the clade Ib variant move from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. China has classified mpox as a Category B infectious disease, allowing for emergency measures such as restricting gatherings, suspending work and school, and sealing off areas during outbreaks.