China tightens border controls as global mpox risk rises with new strain

Authorities in China are ramping up efforts to prevent the monkeypox (mpox) virus from entering the country. 

On Friday, the General Administration of Customs announced tighter surveillance measures for people and goods arriving from regions affected by mpox. Travelers displaying symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle pain, or rashes are required to report their condition upon entry.

Additionally, contaminated or potentially contaminated vehicles and goods will undergo mandatory sanitation procedures. These measures, which took effect on August 15, will remain in place for six months.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency earlier this week due to its spread beyond its endemic regions in Africa. The virus has been particularly prevalent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where two strains are circulating: the original clade I and the more lethal variant, clade Ib.

In response to the escalating situation, the WHO convened an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss ways to ensure fair global access to testing, treatments and vaccines. Spokesperson Margaret Harris noted that increased monitoring is expected to lead to the detection of more cases outside of Africa. However, the WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions.

Globally, health organizations are pushing for more resources to combat the mpox outbreak in Africa. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent have called for increased shipments of diagnostic tools, treatments and vaccines to Africa to effectively manage the situation. The vaccine alliance Gavi has also committed up to $500 million to help distribute vaccines to affected regions.

Meanwhile, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) raised its risk level for the mpox epidemic on Friday, following the confirmation of the first case of a new strain outside Africa in Sweden.

The ECDC has cautioned that Europe may see more imported cases of the new strain, known as clade Ib, in the coming weeks, though the risk of widespread transmission remains low. "Due to the close links between Europe and Africa, we must be prepared for more imported clade I cases," said ECDC Director Pamela Rendi Wagner.