Mainland China has announced its first known monkeypox infection, in an individual who arrived from abroad.
The Chinese city of Chongqing reported a case of the virus on Friday amid the recent global outbreak.
China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has previously reported one monkeypox infection.
The risk of transmission is low as the individual was quarantined upon arrival in Chongqing, the municipal health commission said in a statement.
All close contacts have been isolated and are under medical observation.
According to the statement, the affected person entered Chongqing city in transit from abroad and showed symptoms such as a skin rash during the quarantine period for COVID-19.
About 90 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency.
There have been more than 60,000 confirmed cases and some non-endemic countries have reported their first related deaths.
By September 15, Australia had recorded 132 cases of the disease, the vast majority in NSW and Victoria.
The monkeypox virus, which is spread through close contact with infected people, animals, or contaminated materials, usually causes symptoms similar to, but milder than, those of smallpox, including fever, headache, and rashes.