First monkeypox fatality case confirmed in Taiwan

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The CDC confirmed on Tuesday (Nov. 7) that a local man in his 30s had contracted monkeypox and subsequently died, marking the first instance of such a case in the country. 

According to Lin Yung-ching, a medical officer with the CDC's Division of Quarantine, the man fell ill on Nov. 1 and passed away approximately 50 days after being hospitalized.

Lin noted that the man was HIV positive at the time of his monkeypox infection and, with a compromised immune system, developed septic shock, which ultimately led to his death. 

Monkeypox has a typical fatality rate of 0.1 to 0.2 percent, but the rate could be as high as 7 percent in individuals with a weakened immune condition caused by HIV.

The CDC is urging people with underlying conditions to seek vaccination against monkeypox at medical institutions to prevent the development of severe conditions.

Amid a global outbreak of monkeypox, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Taiwan is urging individuals to get vaccinated at one of the 155 domestic medical institutions available. 

This call comes in response to the recent fatal domestic case of monkeypox in the northern region of the country.