National Health Commission: Starting from September 20th, monkeypox will be classified as a Class B infectious disease for management
Announcement of the National Health Commission
According to the relevant provisions of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, from September 20, 2023, monkeypox will be included in the management of Class B infectious diseases, and prevention and control measures will be taken for Class B infectious diseases.
This announcement is hereby made.
National Health Commission
September 15, 2023
Policy interpretation of incorporating monkeypox into the management of Class B infectious diseases
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus infection, which has mainly occurred in Central and West Africa in the past. Since May 2022, more than 100 countries and regions around the world have experienced monkeypox outbreaks. Multiple epidemics have shown that monkeypox has been transmitted from person to person and widely spread to countries and regions outside of Africa, with a mortality rate of about 0.1%. In September 2022, China reported its first imported case of monkeypox, and local monkeypox outbreaks began in June 2023. Currently, more than 20 provinces across the country have reported monkeypox cases, leading to new local outbreaks and hidden transmission.
The National Health Commission and the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention have conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, responded to and dealt with monkeypox as a newly emerging infectious disease, fully played the important role of multi departmental collaborative prevention and control, continuously improved prevention and control policies and measures, strengthened information dissemination, publicity and education, targeted population intervention, and standardized treatment, and achieved positive results in the prevention and control of monkeypox epidemic.
Considering that the monkeypox epidemic will continue to exist in China for a certain period of time, in order to further scientifically regulate the prevention and control of monkeypox epidemic, and effectively ensure the safety and health of the people, the National Health Commission has decided to include monkeypox in the management of Class B infectious diseases as stipulated in the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China from September 20, 2023, and adopt prevention and control measures for Class B infectious diseases.
Website screenshot