Chinese mainland reported its first imported monkeypox case in an inbound traveler in its southwestern municipality of Chongqing on Friday.

The patient showed suspicious symptoms, including rash, when being quarantined for COVID-19 screening, and later tested positive for the virus, according to Chongqing's health commission.

Test results and the diagnosis were verified by local as well as national disease control experts.

The patient is receiving treatment at designated hospitals and is in stable condition, said the commission. The case tested negative for COVID-19.

Close-contacts have been tracked down and isolated for medical observation, it added.

The World Health Organization on July 23 declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of global concern after cases erupted in countries where the disease is not endemic, such as Europe and the United States.

Chinese officials have formulated diagnosis, treatment and prevention and control guidelines against the disease in the past months as a precautionary measures.

Experts have said that it is only a matter of time before China would detect monkeypox cases on its land. But given its limited routes and speed of transmission, the disease is unlikely to cause major outbreaks.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region reported its first monkeypox case on Sept 6 in an international traveler flying from the Philippines.