- Mpox virus outbreak: China toughened entry controls
China Strengthens Entry Controls Due to Increasing Spread of Monkeypox Virus
China is bolstering its airport entry controls for the next six months due to the growing spread of the monkeypox virus in some countries. Travelers arriving from a country where the disease has recently broken out, who have had contact with infected individuals, or who exhibit symptoms such as skin rash must "take the initiative to declare to the customs upon entry," the Chinese customs authority announced on Friday.
Customs officers will then "take medical measures and conduct sampling and testing according to the procedures," the statement continued. Additionally, vehicles, containers, and goods from regions with monkeypox outbreaks will be disinfected.
A variant of the virus currently circulating in Africa was detected in Europe for the first time on Thursday. According to the Swedish health authority, a case of monkeypox infection caused by the 1b virus variant was diagnosed in Stockholm. The affected individual is believed to have been infected during a visit to the affected part of Africa.
Monkeypox Spread in Africa
The WHO European regional office in Copenhagen stated that further "imported cases" of the monkeypox variant can be expected in Europe in the coming days and weeks. On Wednesday, the WHO declared the highest level of alarm, a "public health emergency of international concern," due to the spread of the new monkeypox variant, similar to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The African Union had already declared a "continental public health emergency" the previous day.
Experts are particularly concerned about the 1b virus variant, which is circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and some other African countries. In the Congo, the government has recorded 548 deaths and 15,664 suspected infections since the beginning of the year, as announced by Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba on Thursday.
Monkeypox Causes Skin Rashes
The disease, known as monkey pox for decades, can be transmitted from animals, but also from person to person, for example during sex. Typical symptoms of an infection with the 1b variant include skin rashes all over the body. In milder cases, the rash may be limited to certain body parts such as the mouth, face, or genitals. In addition to the pustules, fever is also a typical symptom of the disease.
China is closely monitoring the monkeypox situation in Africa, given that the 1b virus variant is causing significant concerns in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To ensure the safety of its citizens, China has decided to increase its entry controls at airports for at least six months, especially for travelers from regions affected by the monkeypox outbreak.
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