The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced today (31st) that it is issuing an infectious disease crisis alert at the 'interest' stage in relation to monkeypox, which is seeing a rapid increase in confirmed cases around the world.
In addition, we have decided to designate monkey pox as a class 2 legal infectious disease, and to announce it as a novel infectious disease syndrome by the time the notification for designation is revised, to preemptively report suspected patients, conduct epidemiological investigations, designate a treatment institution, and respond to quarantine.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) held a crisis assessment meeting related to monkey pox at 2 pm today, following the advice of the Infectious Disease Crisis Management Committee yesterday, and made this decision.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) evaluated the risk of 'medium' in high-risk groups and 'low' in the general population, considering the possibility of domestic influx in a situation where the number of foreign entrants is increasing, even though the impact of monkey pox disease itself is low.
Infectious disease crisis alert is divided into four stages: attention → caution → vigilance → serious, 'attention' is a measure to issue 'in case of outbreak or epidemic' of a new infectious disease overseas. We strengthen community monitoring of patients and response to suspected cases.
In addition, if a confirmed case is confirmed in Korea, we plan to raise the alert level from 'attention' to 'caution'.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also pushing to revise the notice designating monkey pox as a class 2 legal infectious disease.
Considering the schedule such as local elections, the revision of the notice is expected to be made around the second half of next week.
In addition, considering that it takes a long time to revise the administrative notice, we plan to preemptively manage monkey pox as an 'epidemic disease syndrome' that can be designated when the director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determines that emergency quarantine measures are necessary.
If it is designated as a legal infectious disease, the duty to report a confirmed case occurs according to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act.
Class 2 infectious diseases are infectious diseases that require isolation in consideration of the possibility of transmission. 22 types, including COVID-19, tuberculosis, and chickenpox, have been designated.
Monkey smallpox, known as an endemic disease in Central and West Africa, has been spreading in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australia since the first case was reported in the UK on the 7th.
As of today, there have been 473 confirmed cases of monkey pox reported in 31 countries and 136 suspected cases.
There are no confirmed cases in Korea yet.
The quarantine authorities said, "Cooperation between the public and the medical community is of paramount importance for early detection of monkeypox and blocking the spread of monkeypox in the local community." Please avoid it, wear a mask, wash your hands, etc. and follow the rules of personal hygiene and safe travel."