The Chinese city of Chongqing reported one case of the monkeypox virus infection yesterday in an individual who arrived from abroad, marking mainland China's first known monkeypox infection amid the recent global outbreak of the virus.

The transmission risk is low as the individual was put in quarantine upon arrival in Chongqing, the municipal health commission said in a statement.

All close contacts have been isolated and are under medical observation.

The person concerned entered Chongqing city in transit from abroad and showed symptoms such as a skin rash during their quarantine period for Covid-19, according to the statement.

Around 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.

The monkeypox virus, which is transmitted through close contact with infected people, animals or contaminated materials, usually causes symptoms similar to but milder than those of smallpox, such as fever, headache and rashes.

- Reuters