A 41-year-old man has tested positive for mpox and is in stable condition after being isolated for treatment. The Centre for Health Protection said he reported high-risk contact in Hong Kong and Canada during the incubation period. Where he acquired the infection remains under investigation.
He developed swollen lymph nodes on October 21, followed by a rash on October 24. He attended a Department of Health social hygiene clinic on October 26 and was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation treatment. The Centre said a clinical specimen tested positive for the virus.
The Centre said cases recorded in Hong Kong rose substantially in August and September, while new cases fell markedly in October after it adopted several measures to curb transmission. Since 2022, Hong Kong has recorded 117 cases: 91 local, 25 imported and the current case. All patients were male, the Centre said.
Among 24 cases recorded since August, every patient reported high-risk sexual behaviour during the incubation period, and most had not been vaccinated, according to the Centre’s epidemiological investigation. It also said local cases more commonly involved using dating apps to find male partners, and that some patients could not contact newly met partners after diagnosis, making contact tracing harder.
The Centre advises people at high risk, particularly those with unfamiliar partners, to take precautions, get vaccinated promptly and avoid high-risk sexual contact. It also asks people to keep partners’ contact details so they can be reached for contact tracing if needed.