CHP Investigates New Mpox Case Amid Surge in Infections, Urges Vaccination and Safety Measures

CHP investigates confirmed Mpox case and continues to take multipronged approach to break transmission chains

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced today (October 13) that it is investigating a confirmed Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case. Due to the recent significant increase in Mpox cases in Hong Kong, the CHP is implementing targeted prevention and control measures through a multi-pronged approach in order to break the transmission chains. Owing to these measures, the number of vaccines administered under the Mpox vaccination programme has risen significantly, with the number of doses administered earlier this month surging by more than 70 per cent compared to the same period last month. The CHP urges individuals who have engaged in high-risk sexual contact, particularly with strangers, to remain vigilant and take appropriate personal protective measures, including receiving the Mpox vaccination and avoiding high-risk sexual contact, so as to lower the risk of infection. The CHP also strongly urges the public to retain their sexual partners' contact information to facilitate contact tracing when necessary.

Case details

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The new case involves a 39-year-old man who developed rash over his right foot, face, back and buttock since October 5. He sought medical consultation at a private clinic on October 8, and was referred to Yan Chai Hospital on the following day for isolation treatment. Upon laboratory testing by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB), his clinical specimen tested positive for the Monkeypox virus. The patient is currently in stable condition. He was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) to continue isolation treatment.

According to the information provided by the patient, during the incubation period, he visited a premises called "Hutong" on Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, on multiple occasions and had multiple high-risk sexual contacts with male strangers there. The CHP has conducted joint onsite investigation at the premises with the Police. Furthermore, the CHP has provided health education to the staff of the premises. To date, all staff members remain asymptomatic. As the CHP cannot rule out the transmission risk at the premises, as a prudent measure it is recommended that "Hutong" be temporarily closed with immediate effect from today.

The CHP appeals to the members of the public who have visited "Hutong" since September 14, especially those who have hadsexual contact with strangers there, to call the Mpox telephone hotline (2125 2373) as soon as possible, to facilitate the CHP to provide health assessments and advice. The CHP will arrange persons with relevant symptoms to undergo testing.

The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigations of the case, and will report the case to the World Health Organization.

Latest situation of Mpox cases

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Since 2022, Hong Kong has recorded 115 Mpox cases (91 local cases and 24 imported cases). All patients are males. As of today, 31 cases have been recorded this year, including 24 local cases and seven imported cases. Since August, there have been 22 new cases, accounting for 70 per cent of the total number of cases this year.

Epidemiological investigations showed that all the 22 cases recorded since August reported having engaged in high-risk sexual activities during the incubation period, including having sex with male strangers or multiple partners, and having sex without a condom. Most of them have not received the Mpox vaccinations.

The CHP's PHLSB conducted genetic analysis of the virus and found that some cases had identical genetic sequences. This suggests that the cases may have shared a common source of infection, with multiple transmission chains existing among men who have sex with men population.

New Mpox vaccination venues

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Mpox vaccine can prevent infection and severe disease. Since late September, in addition to regular vaccination venues, the CHP has set up an additional Mpox vaccination centre at the CHP Building, and has collaborated with three NGOs (namely Community Health Organisation for Intervention, Care and Empowerment; Hong Kong AIDS Foundation; and Hong Kong Christian Service) to provide outreach vaccination services. Together with the various existing vaccination venues, the CHP has successfully administered the Mpox vaccine to approximately 380 high-risk individuals over the past two weeks.

To further reduce the risk of community infection and transmission, the CHP will continue to actively increase the locations and time slots for Mpox vaccination. Following the completion of three outreach vaccination sessions recently, the CHP has arranged the following services:

(i) Hong Kong AIDS Foundation - Mong Kok Service Centre

Date and time: October 14 (Wednesday), 5pm to 8pm

Location: Bright Way Tower, 33 Mong Kok Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon

(Online appointments: forms.gle/ytDgGsn9V2R8wL4VA)

(ii) Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre (additional session)

Date and time: October 24 (Saturday), 10am to 1pm

Location: 7/F, Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Polyclinic, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei

(Phone reservations: Please call Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre at 2195 6588 from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, to make an appointment.)

Strengthening public education and awareness

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The CHP's Mpox hotline (2125 2373) provides health assessments, advice and vaccination arrangements for affected individuals. The hotline operates daily from 9am to 6pm.

The CHP has consistently conducted comprehensive and in-depth epidemiological investigations into every Mpox case, striving to contact individuals who have had high-risk contact with the patients. The CHP's epidemiological investigations showed that patients commonly used specific dating apps to find casual sexual partners. After testing positive, some patients were unable to contact their newly met sexual partners, which hindered the CHP's ability to conduct effective contact tracing and implement corresponding prevention and control measures. In view of this, the CHP has increased its outreach on social media platforms to promote Mpox prevention and vaccination, and has collaborated with the operators of relevant dating apps to regularly push information about Mpox prevention and vaccination to all users in Hong Kong.

The CHP staff visited various entertainment venues, including saunas, to promote health and remind individuals at high risk of exposure that vaccination protects against infection and reduces the likelihood of transmitting it to others. Due to the current surge in Mpox cases, individuals should limit the number of sexual partners and use condoms in addition to getting vaccinated to further reduce the risk of infection.

More information on Mpox

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Mpox is not transmitted through respiratory droplets or aerosols in general, and transmission would not occur through social contact. The CHP reminds the public, especially those at higher risk of exposure, to take precautions and avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected. They should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience relevant symptoms, incuding rash, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches. They should not engage in activities with others that may involve contact with skin rash or body fluids.

The DH has been providing Mpox vaccination services for high-risk groups, including individuals with high-risk sexual practices (such as having multiple sexual partners), sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months. Apart from the aforementioned newly added Mpox vaccination locations, high-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH's social hygiene service clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH's Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre, without prior appointments. Meanwhile, the DH's Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority's Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and PMH also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.

For more details, please visit the CHP's webpages on Mpox and the Mpox Vaccination Programme.

The Centre for Health Protection. Photo source: reference image

Keynote speech by PSITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2026

Following is the keynote speech by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Kevin Choi, at the LSCM Logistics Summit 2026 today (October 14):

Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, Alan (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM), Professor Alan Lam), Sunny (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the San Tin Technopole Company Limited, Dr Sunny Chai), Mr Mei (Group Senior Vice President and President of the Overseas Enterprise Business of ZTE Corporation, Mr Mei Zhonghua), Mr Yang (Director and Executive Vice President of China Mobile Hong Kong Co Ltd, Mr Yang Qian), distinguished guests, industry leaders, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. I am most honoured to join you at the LSCM Summit today to celebrate the centre's 20th anniversary, and its contribution to Hong Kong's technological evolution.

LSCM was initially established to support the development of Hong Kong's logistics sector. Nowadays, logistics is not just about moving goods through sea, air, and land routes. It is the management of complex, interconnected systems in a volatile global environment shaped by shifting geopolitics and accelerating cross-border e-commerce. In addition to our world-class freight infrastructure and systems, efficiency must be paired with agility through technology deployment: supply chains must be resilient to disruption, end-to-end visible, environmentally sustainable, and powered by intelligent, real-time decision-making systems that enable instant operational pivots. Achieving this level of transformation requires the adoption of innovation and technology (I&T).

Last month, the Chief Executive announced both our city's first-ever Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address, setting out clear targets for a new paradigm for the development of I&T, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to becoming an international I&T hub.

For example, the rise of AI is impacting almost every aspect of our lives including modern supply chains and cybersecurity management, and computing power is a core engine for the development of AI. To ensure Hong Kong has this vital fuel for AI development, the construction works of the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster have begun. By 2032, the computing power of the cluster is expected to reach a level equivalent to 36 times Hong Kong's current computing power. This represents our solid and unwavering support to the development of the intelligent computing industry. With a cumulative investment expected to reach at least $23.8 billion, Sandy Ridge will provide the robust infrastructure that allows our enterprises to deploy advanced AI models. In future, companies in the sector can run real time global supply chain simulations under secure and reliable IT (information technology) systems, and process complex predictive analytics in a timely manner.

As we deploy more cloud platforms, connected sensors, automation systems, and AI-driven decision tools across the logistics chain, cybersecurity management becomes an essential enabler, not an afterthought. The same connectivity that improves visibility and speed also expands the cyber threat surface. From ransomware and data leakage to tampering with operational systems, cyber risks can directly disrupt logistics operations, compromise customer trust, and undermine compliance. That is why secure-by-design architecture, resilient networks, and robust identity and access management are indispensable. We also need to strengthen incident response capabilities, supply-chain risk assessment, and continuous monitoring so that enterprises can detect, contain, and recover quickly, maintaining business continuity even under attacks. I encourage you to join the afternoon session of today's Summit, where my colleagues of the Digital Policy Office will share more expertise in this regard.

While digital infrastructure and computing power are crucial to the sector's development, smart robotics and automation are other essential elements. In a city like Hong Kong where warehouse space is premium, modern warehouses have to shift into a highly automated ecosystem where autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, and robotic picking arms work side by side with human operators. These robotic technologies are drastically reducing order cycle times, optimising vertical storage space, and eliminating human error in high-velocity sorting environments.

In this regard, many of you are aware that the Government has established the AIR@InnoHK as a dedicated research cluster focused on AI and robotics technologies. To further our efforts, we have successfully facilitated the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to establish its first centre of excellence on global advanced manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific region in Hong Kong, with a focus on the fields of AI+ manufacturing, robotics, new energy and industrial design.

Yet, hardware and computing power are only part of the solution. We also need a vibrant ecosystem where technology is researched, tested, and tailored for practical business applications, including cybersecurity technologies and solutions that are fit for logistics operations. Under the "north-central-south" spatial layout, the development of our three major I&T parks, namely the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the San Tin Technopole, the Science Park, and Cyberport, will establish a truly global industry academia research collaborative innovation platform. Working together with the industries, our top-class universities and different public research and development (R&D) centres, Hong Kong will become a globally competitive advanced R&D centre and pilot production and transformation base for technology industries, benefitting all of us here today.

In parallel, we are solving the historic constraint of physical space. The Northern Metropolis provides a vast amount of new land, directly driving Hong Kong's evolution into an I&T centre under the new "South-North dual engine (finance-IT/I&T)". Within the Northern Metropolis, there will be industrial space designed for prototyping, pilot and mass production. For the logistics and supply chain sector, this offers a very good opportunity for the physical integration of advanced manufacturing and high-end logistics. Enterprises can actively utilise the New Industrialisation Support Scheme to turn R&D outcomes into reality. This includes funding and support for setting up brand new, state-of-the-art smart production lines right within the Northern Metropolis. When you pair smart production lines with automated, AI-driven facilities in the same geographical area, you eliminate transit friction, slash lead times, and create a highly responsive domestic supply chain network.

With proximity to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Chinese Mainland's powerhouse for innovation and economic growth, the Northern Metropolis occupies a vital strategic position in the region. By aligning our local technological frameworks with the industrial mass of the GBA, we are building a seamless, highly integrated ecosystem. Looking ahead, after 2030, we are expecting Hong Kong as an international I&T centre based in the GBA, serving the entire country and deeply connected to the world.

Finally, please once again accept my warmest congratulations to LSCM on its 20th anniversary. I wish you all a highly productive, successful and inspiring Summit.

Thank you very much.

Keynote speech by PSITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases