Western Valentine's Day and the Lunar New Year holiday are approaching, increasing opportunities for social and intimate interactions. The Centers for Disease Control (hereafter CDC) reminds that while sharing sweet moments with your partner, you should also protect each other's health by correctly using condoms throughout sexual activity; for those with risky behaviors or whose sexual partners are at risk of infection, it is recommended to proactively and regularly undergo HIV screening, and promptly receive two doses of the monkeypox vaccine, so that you and your partner can welcome a safe and healthy year together.
The CDC reminds that during sweet holiday celebrations, condoms should be used correctly throughout sexual activity and combined with water‑based lubricant, and both your own and your partner’s health status should be monitored. For those who have sexual activity, at least one HIV test is recommended; for those engaging in unsafe sex, at least one test per year is advised. If you have any infection‑risk behaviors (such as having an STI, multiple sexual partners, using addictive drugs, sharing needles or diluents, etc.) or if your partner has any of these conditions, testing is recommended every 3 to 6 months to understand your health status. At the same time, individuals who meet the criteria for monkeypox vaccination should promptly complete the two‑dose monkeypox vaccine series.
According to CDC monitoring data, the number of newly reported domestic HIV infections in 2025 was 879, the lowest since 2004; regarding the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2030 “95‑95‑95” targets—95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression—Taiwan is projected to reach “93‑96‑95” in 2025, but about 7% of HIV‑positive individuals still remain unaware of their infection.
To encourage the public to proactively learn about their health status, the CDC launched a “HIV Self‑Testing Valentine’s Day Special Offer.” From February 14 to February 28, individuals can visit the CDC Self‑Testing Program website (https://hiva.cdc.gov.tw/Selftest/), order HIV self‑test kits via the “online order, convenience‑store pickup” channel, and use the exclusive promo code “LOVE2026” to receive a NT$101 discount on a single order. The website also added an English version on February 5 to provide more convenient access for diverse groups. After completing the test and uploading the result online, you will receive one free electronic voucher for a test kit, which can be used personally or gifted to friends and family, letting caring start with testing.
Meanwhile, the monkeypox outbreak continues both domestically and internationally. In Taiwan, five new locally confirmed monkeypox cases were reported in January 2026, all of whom are domestic young adult men—four in the north and one in the central region—and epidemiological investigations indicate they are sporadic cases. Taiwan classified monkeypox as a Category 2 notifiable disease on June 23 2022; as of February 9 this year, a total of 518 cases have been confirmed (483 domestic and 35 imported), and the risk of community transmission persists. Globally, the recent monkeypox situation is trending downward; in 2025, 98 countries reported a cumulative 52,000+ cases, including 215 deaths. Cases were mainly concentrated in Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, etc., predominantly of clade Ib; many Asian countries (including China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, etc.), as well as the Americas, Europe, and Australia, continued to report cases, with non‑African regions mainly experiencing clade IIb, although France, Italy, and Spain continued to see community transmission of clade Ib. WHO overall assesses the transmission risk to the general public as low; however, for groups engaging in high‑risk behaviors, especially those without a regular sexual partner, the risk is moderate.
The CDC states that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent monkeypox. Vaccine supplies are currently sufficient, and a total of 312 partner medical institutions nationwide can provide publicly funded monkeypox vaccination services. The public who meet the vaccination criteria are urged to complete the two‑dose series promptly, including those who have engaged in risky behaviors in the past year (e.g., multiple sexual partners, sex‑work services, sexual activity in commercial venues, etc.); those with a history of STIs; or those whose sexual partners have any of the aforementioned conditions. Information on publicly funded vaccination medical institutions can be found on the CDC website under the Monkeypox section / Monkeypox Vaccine / Monkeypox Vaccine Vaccination Service Partner Medical Institutions ( https://gov.tw/3SG ). Additionally, individuals who do not qualify for public funding but, after physician assessment, have confirmed exposure risk may receive self‑paid monkeypox vaccination at any of the eight contract travel‑medicine hospitals nationwide; related information can be found on the CDC website under International Travel and Health / Travel Medicine Clinics. More information on HIV prevention and monkeypox can be accessed on the CDC website (https://gov.tw/wav).
Source: Centers for Disease Control
Compiled by: Infection Control Office
