Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control, under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said it had confirmed two locally acquired cases of mpox clade Ib. Neither patient had recent travel history abroad, indicating transmission within Taiwan.

Clade Ib is the lineage that spread in central Africa from 2023 and has been reported to cause severe disease more often than the clade II strain of earlier outbreaks. The World Health Organization previously declared a public health emergency of international concern over its spread.

The agency is investigating contacts of both patients and said it would adjust vaccination eligibility if needed. Taiwan has offered mpox vaccination to high-risk groups.

Mpox spreads chiefly through close physical contact, with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes as the main symptoms. Most patients recover within weeks, though immunocompromised people and children can develop severe illness.

Health authorities said they would avoid messaging that singles out particular groups, noting that stigma has repeatedly suppressed testing and reporting during past outbreaks.

No travel restrictions apply to residents of South Korea or mainland China visiting Taiwan. The agency asked anyone with a rash or other suspected symptoms to disclose travel and contact history when seeking care.