"Characteristics And Public Health Responses of Monkeypox Outbreak, Taiwan, 2022"

Characteristics And Public Health Responses of Monkeypox Outbreak, Taiwan, 2022

Since the first human case of monkeypox was discovered in 1970, it has been identified as a zoonotic infectious disease that is endemic in the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, and is transmitted to humans by rodents and primates. However, in May, 2022, two family clusters without travel history or contact history of imported cases were found in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, confirmed cases of monkeypox were reported in many countries around the world. Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) declared monkeypox as the second category of notifiable infectious disease on June 23, and the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a“public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)”on July 23. This article summarizes the epidemiological update of monkeypox, as well as its diagnosis, treatment, vaccines and TCDC’s public health responses as a reference for public health workers and health care workers.