Taiwan has confirmed that there has been a case of monkey smallpox, becoming the third place in Asia to have the case.
The patient in Taiwan was a man who had been to Germany and had just returned in June.
At an emergency meeting on June 23, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to increase community monitoring, adding that cases outside Africa were mainly among men having sex with men.
The WHO chief also called on WHO member states to share information about the virus as it would help the agency assist countries in stopping the chain of infection.
Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control said the male patient, in his 20s, came to Germany to study abroad in January 2022 and returned to Taiwan on June 16.
According to local authorities’ mandatory regulations, he is required to quarantine at home to prevent COVID-19.
On June 20, the young man showed symptoms of fever, sore throat and rash and was taken to a medical facility near his residence. Doctors examined him and confirmed he had monkey smallpox.
