Hong Kong authorities confirm third case of monkeypox as experts warn more could follow

Hong Kong should anticipate more cases of monkeypox now travel has resumed, health experts warned after authorities announced a third confirmed case of the virus and an additional suspected case on Thursday night.

However, experts added the risk to the general public remains low while suggesting public education is necessary to avoid a rise in high-risk exposures.

On Thursday, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said it was investigating a confirmed monkeypox case of a 34-year-old male who had sought treatment on April 19 after developing a rash seven days prior.

The CHP said the new case, the city’s third since last September, was a close contact of a suspected imported case who had recently visited monkeypox-affected areas, including Korea and Taiwan.

The Post asked the Department of Health to confirm if this is the first locally transmitted case but it said it would have further updates later.

Monkeypox, known as mpox, is a viral disease that spreads through prolonged contact among humans. It is known for causing a distinctive bumpy rash, fever and muscle aches. The most recent global outbreak has spread to more than 100 countries.

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“We’ve been expecting this in some way,” said Dr Wilson Lam, an infectious disease expert, “because Hong Kong has been loosening up all of its infection measures and people have been travelling, so we might see an upsurge in cases.”

Lam emphasised monkeypox did not spread in the same manner as respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and instead required direct and prolonged contact, such as sexual intercourse, with an infected individual to spread.

“Without this kind of high-risk exposure, we do not have to worry about the general public catching monkeypox,” Lam said.

Dr Leung Chi-chiu, another infectious disease expert, echoed the sentiments while calling for increased public education and vaccination efforts.

“It’s not a major threat at this stage, at least,” Leung said, “but the risk is likely to persist in the years to come, and we need to promote vaccination in all high-risk communities.”

Since October 2022, the government has been offering a vaccination programme to select groups of individuals, such as those involved in “high-risk sexual practices”, such as having multiple active partners or healthcare workers who have been exposed through work.

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Leung implored the government to increase public education on monkeypox to facilitate early treatment and detection because the patient only consulted a doctor seven days after his symptoms started. He also urged the public to have an “open and non-discriminatory attitude” towards those who contract the virus.

The city had its first confirmed case of the virus last September when a 30-year-old male returned from travelling in the Philippines. The second was in February, involving a 40-year-old man who returned from a week-long trip to Japan.

Last November, the WHO said it was renaming monkeypox as mpox, citing “racist and stigmatising” language surrounding the virus. While both terms are still used, the old name will be phased out by the end of this year.