4 new Mpox cases reported in Taiwan, risks high until September: CDC
July 15, 2025
Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control has confirmed four new mpox cases, including one imported from China, signaling elevated transmission risk through September. All cases involved unvaccinated men in their 30s who developed classic symptoms such as rashes and pustules. Authorities warn that increased summer travel and social gatherings heighten outbreak potential. Since June 2022, Taiwan has reported 473 cases—exclusively of the Clade IIb strain. Vaccination uptake has reached over 99,000 first doses and 68,000 second doses, but continued outreach is vital. The CDC urges at-risk individuals to vaccinate promptly, as two doses reduce severe illness and death by up to 90%.
Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed four new mpox cases this week, including one imported from China, highlighting persistent risks tied to summer travel and social activity. All four cases involved unvaccinated men in their 30s who began exhibiting symptoms—rashes, blisters, and pustules—earlier this month. With July through September historically prone to spikes in cases, the CDC is urging increased vigilance and prompt vaccination for at-risk groups.
CDC spokesperson Lo Yi-chun emphasized that Clade IIb, a less lethal but still transmissible strain of the virus, remains the only clade identified in Taiwan’s 473 confirmed cases since June 2022. Despite a robust national vaccination effort, only 68,484 people have received the full two-dose regimen, which the CDC notes reduces the risk of infection and severe disease by 90% compared to 40–80% protection from a single dose.
Taiwan’s mpox strategy continues to target populations at higher risk, including those with recent sexually transmitted infections or those who have engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors. Lo cautioned that while Clade I has not been detected, regional outbreaks and imported cases—like the most recent one—present ongoing risks.
Public health officials are reinforcing prevention messaging, particularly as summer gatherings and international travel increase potential exposure. Taiwan’s example underscores the need for continued vaccination access, proactive communication, and border surveillance to prevent further spread.
As the global mpox landscape evolves, Taiwan’s steady surveillance and targeted vaccination offer a model for maintaining containment—though timely vaccine uptake and risk-based engagement will determine whether outbreaks remain limited or escalate. With the window of heightened risk extending through September, now is the time to act.