South Korea has confirmed 16 new cases of mpox for the first week of May, bringing the country's total to 60.

According to the KDCA on Monday, eleven cases were reported in Seoul, two in Gyeonggi Province, and one each in Incheon, Busan and Gwangju.

None of the patients had traveled abroad in the past three weeks, suggesting local transmission.

Health authorities also released their investigation so far of the 60 confirmed cases, which showed that more than 96 percent were male patients who had sexual contact within three weeks before the first onset of symptoms.

KDCA chief Jee Young-mee reassured the public that mpox can be managed by vaccines and treatments and that it is at a higher risk of occurrence and transmission in high-risk groups rather than the general population.