2022–2023 mpox outbreak in taiwan 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in taiwan the 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in taiwan is a part of the larger outbreak of human mpox caused by the west african clade of the monkeypox virus. according to the centers for disease control, taiwan's first mpox case was reported on 24 june 2022. 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in taiwandiseasehuman mpoxlocationtaiwanarrival date24 june 2022 – ongoing (10 months and 19 days)confirmed cases8deaths0 as of march 2023, there have been eight confirmed cases of mpox in taiwan. five cases were imported, and three cases were domestically transmitted. background these paragraphs are an excerpt from mpox and 2022–2023 mpox outbreak. mpox (pronounced /ˈɛmpɒks/ em-poks, formerly known as monkeypox) is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and some other animals. symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. the time from exposure to onset of symptoms ranges from five to twenty-one days and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks. there may be mild symptoms, and it may occur without any symptoms being apparent. cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women or people with suppressed immune systems. the disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, a zoonotic virus in the genus orthopoxvirus. the variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox, is also in this genus. of the two types (called "clades") in humans, clade ii (formerly west african clade) causes a less severe disease than the central african (congo basin) type. it may spread from infected animals by handling infected meat or via bites or scratches. human-to-human transmission can occur through exposure to infected body fluids or contaminated objects, by small droplets, and possibly through the airborne route. people can spread the virus from the onset of symptoms until all the lesions have scabbed and fallen off; with some evidence of spread for more than a week after lesions have crusted. diagnosis can be confirmed by testing a lesion for the virus's dna. there is no known cure. a study in 1988 found that the smallpox vaccine was around 85% protective in preventing infection in close contacts and in lessening the severity of the disease. a newer smallpox and mpox vaccine based on modified vaccinia ankara has been approved, but with limited availability. other measures include regular hand washing and avoiding sick people and animals. antiviral drugs, cidofovir and tecovirimat, vaccinia immune globulin and the smallpox vaccine may be used during outbreaks. the illness is usually mild and most of those infected will recover within a few weeks without treatment. estimates of the risk of death vary from 1% to 10%, although few deaths as a consequence of mpox have been recorded since 2017. an ongoing outbreak of mpox was confirmed on 6 may 2022, beginning with a british resident who, after travelling to nigeria (where the disease is endemic), presented symptoms consistent with mpox on 29 april 2022. the resident returned to the united kingdom on 4 may, creating the country's index case of the outbreak. the origin of several of the cases of mpox in the united kingdom is unknown. some monitors saw community transmission taking place in the london area as of mid-may, but it has been suggested that cases were already spreading in europe in the previous months. timeline mpox cases in taiwan () deaths confirmed casesjunjunjuljulaugaugsepsepoctoctlast 15 dayslast 15 days datecases (rise)deaths (rise) 2022-06-241(n.a.) ⋮ 2022-07-122(n.a.) ⋮ 2022-08-063(n.a.) ⋮ 2022-09-033(n.a.) ⋮ 2022-10-094(n.a.) the first known case of the mpox outbreak in taiwan was detected on 24 june 2022. according to the centers for disease control, the case was a taiwanese man in his 20s who had traveled to germany for his studies. he returned to taiwan on 16 june, started showing symptoms on 20 june, and tested positive for mpox on 24 june. on 12 july, taiwan reported its second case of mpox in a man in his 30s who had gone on a business trip to the united states. on 6 august, a third case of imported mpox was reported, involving a man in his 20s who had returned to taiwan from the united states. the fourth imported case, reported on 9 october, involved a man in his 40s who had visited canada, and developed symptoms in the united states. the fifth case was reported on 15 february 2023. by march 2023, the disease was confirmed to have been domestically transmitted. responses in may 2022, the taiwan centers for disease control started increasing monitoring for mpox cases. later that month, health minister chen shih-chung stated that taiwan was not yet planning to purchase a mpox vaccine. as the global outbreak spread, taiwan designated mpox as a category 2 communicable disease on 23 june. two days after the index case was publicized, the cdc issued guidelines for risk assessment and control. by 27 june, the cdc had begun working to reverse the vaccine policy declared in may, stating that talks to acquire mpox medications and vaccines had started. later on 30 june, the cdc issued a travel warning for 44 countries that had reported cases of mpox. on 2 july, the cdc announced that they are planning to receive third-generation smallpox vaccines and antiviral drugs in late 2022. the cdc said that frontline medical workers and researchers will be the first to receive the vaccine. on 24 july, the cdc announced that they signed a contract to purchase medication to treat mpox patients, and that a shipment will arrive in august at the earliest. the cdc also announced that they are in talks to purchase mpox vaccines, and that they are hoping to receive them by late august. on 27 july, 504 courses of mpox medications arrived in taiwan, to be used by severe cases and immunocompromised individuals. on 1 september, taiwan received its first doses of the mpox vaccine. statistics total cases and deaths new cases per day notes the world health organization (the authority on disease names) announced the new name "mpox" in november 2022. but virus naming is the responsibility of the international committee on the taxonomy of viruses (ictv), who are currently reviewing all orthopoxvirus species. as of march 2023, the official name of the virus remains "monkeypox virus".