In case a monkeypox patient is confirmed in Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is developing therapeutic drugs, vaccines, and a system for acceptance at medical institutions.

Since there are no drugs approved in Japan for the treatment, we are creating a mechanism to administer a drug called "Tekobirimat", which is a drug for smallpox that has similar symptoms to monkeypox, for research purposes.



At present, the drug can be administered at four locations: ▼


National Center for Global Health and Medical Research in Tokyo , ▼


Rinku General Medical Center in Osaka,


▼ Fujita Medical University Hospital in Aichi, and ▼


Ryukyu University Hospital in Okinawa.



Regarding the vaccine, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will approve the use of the smallpox vaccine, which is said to have an effect of preventing the onset of monkeypox by about 85%, or will hold an expert group on July 29 to start deliberation. I am.



Prior to this, the National Center for Global Health and Medical Research has inoculated 50 people such as doctors and nurses in charge of inpatients for research purposes, and is considering expanding it to the staff of health centers and prefectural health research institutes. increase.



Regarding inspections, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has established a system that can be carried out at local health research institutes in all prefectures, and requires local governments to promptly report any suspected cases of infection.



If an infection is confirmed, it will be preferentially accepted at 58 designated medical institutions for infectious diseases nationwide, and if there is a person at high risk of infection such as the patient's family, the health condition will be checked daily through the health center. I also want that.



The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare says, "We would like to cooperate with local governments to strengthen the system so that patients can be promptly connected to examinations and treatments wherever they are found."

Expert "It is difficult to respond without an international cooperation system"

Regarding the declaration of "a public health emergency of international concern" by the WHO = World Health Organization, Professor Shigeru Morikawa of Okayama University of Science, who is familiar with monkeypox, said, "People-to-human transmission has spread so far. This is the first time that the infection has spread to many countries, the increase in the number of patients has not been stopped, and it is difficult to respond without international cooperation. I think. "



On the other hand, "It seems that the emergency committee was not unanimous because some countries have suppressed the spread of the infection, but WHO declared an emergency after the spread of the infection at the time of the new corona. I think there was some reflection on that. "



Regarding the risks in Japan, "Infection has spread not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Asia such as South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, and it is safe to have infected people in Japan at any time. It is being promoted at health laboratories in various places, and the government, government, and medical institutions are preparing with a sense of crisis. In Japan, masks are worn and disinfected in response to corona. Therefore, I think that it is effective if it is thoroughly implemented. Also, since there are few cases where infection with monkey pox is life-threatening, I think that the general public should not be too scared so far. There are many patients. When traveling to a country, I think that the risk of infection can be significantly reduced by taking measures such as washing hands frequently. "