THE Chinese mainland has reported its first cases of monkeypox in women, according to a recent report from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In August alone, there were 501 newly confirmed cases of monkeypox, including five cases in females for the first time, the report said.

Meanwhile, China has classified monkeypox as a Class B infectious disease, grouping it with other diseases such as COVID-19, AIDS, SARS, and rabies.

The infected females in China had all engaged in heterosexual contact within 21 days before disease onset. Among their partners, three were monkeypox-infected, one had a recent rash, and one showed no symptoms related to monkeypox. According to the China CDC report, 98.9% of monkeypox cases are male, with 92.5% specifically linked to male-homosexual behavior.

The appearance of female infections is seen as an expansion of the monkeypox-infected population in China, according to Zhao Wei, director of the Biosafety Research Center at the School of Public Health, Southern Medical University. However, the overall risk of monkeypox transmission through non-sexual contact is low, according to Zhao.

Dr. Li Tongzeng from Beijing You’an Hospital explained that there is a risk of infection regardless of gender if there is close skin contact, as the virus is carried in the rash fluid of infected individuals. This means that individuals with skin wounds or minor injuries on their mucous membranes can easily become infected. Additionally, some male infected individuals also engage in sexual activities with females, leading to female infections.

A global case study published in The Lancet in November 2022 revealed that up to 25% of monkeypox infections in women are not linked to sexual transmission. However, the authors of the study warned that the number of female infections may increase as the outbreak continues to evolve.

（Windy Shao)