HCMC - Vietnam had reported 56 cases of monkeypox as of October 31 this year, including two imported cases in 2022, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health.

These cases have been documented in seven provinces and cities, with 46 of them in HCMC. Lam Dong and Long An reported two cases each while Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, and Can Tho had one case each. Notably, the first monkeypox death was reported in HCMC in October this year. The average age of the patients is 32, with nearly 93% of them being male. Among these cases, 63% are currently infected with HIV, and 46% with other sexually transmitted diseases. This marks the first time that the Ministry of Health has officially released statistics on monkeypox infections in Vietnam. A representative from the General Department of Preventive Medicine said this is a new epidemic in Vietnam, and that as the pathogen has spread in the community, the country would continue having new monkeypox cases, especially in major cities. The department has urged localities to proactively monitor the monkeypox epidemic, promptly take prevention and control measures, and minimize the number of cases and fatalities.