Mong Kok sauna patrons urged to get Mpox tests

The Centre for Health Protection is urging people who have recently visited a Mong Kok sauna to get screened for Mpox, after a patron was confirmed with the viral illness. The 39-year-old man was said to have had high-risk sexual contact with other male patrons of the Hu-Tong club. Authorities have confirmed 31 Mpox cases in Hong Kong so far this year. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme on Wednesday, the head of the centre's communicable diseases branch, Albert Au, said he believed the latest infection might only be an isolated case and not an outbreak. “This patient frequented a sauna named Hu-Tong at Shanghai Street in Mong Kok multiple times during the incubation period and had high-risk sexual contact there," he said. "We believe it is highly likely that he had been infected at Hu-Tong. "Since we cannot rule out the possibility that he had been infected there, we have recommended that Hu-Tong be temporarily closed as a precaution.” While the incubation period for the virus usually lasts for six to 13 days, Au said it can be as short as a day or as long as 21 days. He noted that early symptoms are similar to other viral infections, which may include fever, chills, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. But a rash is the most crucial symptom, Au said, eventually forming into scabs. He urged those who have been to the sauna on or before September 14 to reach out to the Mpox hotline on 2125-2373 as soon as possible to undergo a health assessment. The centre will arrange testing for those with symptoms. Au said 22 confirmed cases had been recorded since August and that majority of them had used dating apps to look for sexual partners. He said it has been a challenge for authorities to trace all contacts, as some of the infected patients had been unable to get back in touch with their sexual partners. Edited by Cecil Wong

2026-10-14 11:55:00