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China is currently at low risk of a monkeypox outbreak and the authorities will likely adjust prevention measures if the outbreak worsens, a Chinese epidemiologist said, after the head of the World Health Organization said he was considering convening an expert committee to advise on whether the growing pox outbreak in Africa should be declared an international emergency.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others, were increasing their response to the outbreak.

"As a deadlier strain of pox spreads to multiple African countries, WHO, Africa CDC, local governments and partners are further scaling up the response to interrupt disease transmission," Tedros said on social media platform X.

"I am considering convening an International Health Regulations emergency committee to advise me on whether the outbreak of pox should be declared a public health emergency of international concern."

African health officials said monkey pox cases have spiked by 160 percent so far this year, warning the risk of further spread is high given the lack of effective treatments or vaccines on the continent, according to AP.

In the past week, Chinese embassies in Central Africa and Rwanda warned Chinese nationals in those countries to take increased caution against monkey pox infection.

At present, China faces a low risk of a monkeypox outbreak due to the virus primarily spreading through close physical contact, making it unlikely to result in a widespread epidemic, Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen told the Global Times on Monday.

In June last year, China witnessed a small wave of monkey pox infection. Shi Guoqing, an expert from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention explained that the outbreak of monkeypox in China was mainly transmitted through close contact among male individuals engaging in male-to-male sexual behavior. 

Of the 106 cases reported in Chinese mainland in June 2023, all were male, with 101 cases confirmed to be among male individuals engaging in male-to-male sexual behavior. Among them, 96 cases had a history of male-to-male sexual contact within 21 days before the onset of symptoms, Shi noted. 

The WHO failed to respond to the Global Times as of press time when pressed as to whether the current monkeypox outbreak in Africa will infect China. 

However, Lu noted that Chinese government will likely to take prevention measures if the outbreak worsens.