China, 2022 — Monkeypox has recently been identified in multiple countries outside West and Central Africa, with frequent human-to-human transmission. On 23 July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), drawing global attention to this neglected zoonotic disease.
To prevent importation and transmission, China issued a technical guide for monkeypox control and prevention on 1 July 2022, promoting early detection, reporting, isolation, and treatment. The guide also strengthens symptom monitoring of travellers and immigrants from affected regions.
On 19 September 2022, China CDC Weekly reported the first imported case of monkeypox in mainland China: a Chinese man returning on 14 September was identified as a suspected case by Chongqing CDC after experiencing dry, itchy throat, fever, red rash, and pustules on his right ankle.
Clinical samples collected on 16 September were sent to China CDC for qPCR testing and whole genome sequencing using MGI’s DNBSEQ-G99™ sequencer. Sequencing revealed that the virus strain (China-CQ202209) belongs to the B.1 branch of the West African strain, confirming the first imported case in mainland China. The strain is highly homologous with a virus strain reported in Germany on 21 June 2022 (GISAID ID: EPI_ISL_13889435). This is also the fifth reported human monkeypox infection in China, following cases in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
MGI’s DNBSEQ-G99™ enabled rapid, high-quality whole genome sequencing. For samples with a Ct value of ~21, metagenome sequencing showed monkeypox-specific reads accounted for ~0.35% on average. Coverage was exceptional, with genome depth of ~35X (SE40), 110X (SE100), and 200X (PE100), and over 99.03% coverage above 100X.
The DNBSEQ-G99™ achieves high sequencing efficiency and quality through integrated fluid systems, optimized reagents, and rapid incubation. Its triangular matrix high-density flow cell, high-performance optics, and precision temperature control allow PE150 sequencing data to be generated within 12 hours, accelerating pathogen identification and outbreak response.
