Taipei: Taiwan has reported 30 confirmed mpox cases so far this year, including two new infections announced Wednesday, with imported cases doubling from a year earlier and most cases linked to unprotected sexual contact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said.

According to Focus Taiwan, the two latest cases-one locally acquired and one imported-involved unvaccinated men who had engaged in unprotected sexual activity. As of September 7, Taiwan had recorded 20 domestic and 10 imported mpox cases in 2026. All patients were men aged between 20 and 50, according to the CDC.

The 10 imported cases are double the number recorded during the same period last year, with six linked to travel to Thailand, according to CDC data. CDC spokesperson Lin Ming-cheng told CNA that while overall mpox cases have fallen sharply since the disease was designated a Category II notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in June 2022, imported infections now account for a growing share of the total.

During the January-August period, Taiwan recorded 322 mpox cases in 2023, 59 in 2024, 32 in 2025, and 30 this year, he said. Epidemiological investigations found that most patients had engaged in unprotected sexual activity, while nearly 80 percent had not been vaccinated against mpox.

The figures indicate that Taiwan's vaccination campaign has effectively curbed domestic transmission, but some unvaccinated people continue to engage in high-risk behavior while traveling overseas, Lin said.