Chinese authorities have started monitoring people and goods entering the country for mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Friday. The new measures will remain in force for six months, according to GAC.
The announcement came two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) designated a recent surge in infections in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), and called for a vaccination campaign.
People arriving in China from “countries and regions where cases of the disease have been confirmed should declare their conditions to customs upon entry if they have symptoms” including fever, headache, rashes and others, the GAC said, emphasising that “customs officers will implement medical measures and conduct sampling and testing in accordance with the prescribed procedure.”
Vehicles, containers and goods from areas where mpox cases have been spotted should be sanitised, the statement added.
Mpox can spread through close contact, causing flu-like symptoms, a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, and swollen lymph nodes. According to WHO, the disease is usually mild and only fatal only in rare cases.
Last year, China’s National Health Commission labelled mpox a Category B infectious disease along with COVID-19, AIDS and SARS. The move enabled national authorities to take emergency measures, including restricting gatherings, suspending work and school, and sealing off areas in case of an outbreak.
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