Exemption from Quarantine for Overseas Arrivals... Growing Concerns over Monkeypox Influx into Korea

Rapid Increase in Monkeypox Infection Cases
Quarantine Authorities Begin Designation as Class 2 Legal Infectious Disease
Concerns Over Domestic Influx as COVID-19 Quarantine for Overseas Arrivals Lifted
"Worrying Situation of New Infectious Disease Influx... Please Follow Overseas Entry Procedures"

A photo of the monkeypox virus taken with an electron microscope in 2004 by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany. Photo by Robert Koch Institute [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] As the spread of monkeypox accelerates, statistics have been released showing that global infection cases are approaching 800. This has raised concerns that another infectious disease might spread again shortly after the transition to normal life from the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, as COVID-19 quarantine measures have stabilized and quarantine requirements for overseas arrivals have been lifted, there are concerns that the monkeypox virus might not be prevented from entering the country. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) views the possibility of a pandemic as low.

Worldwide monkeypox infection cases are rapidly increasing. On the 5th (local time), WHO announced that 780 cases of monkeypox infections were confirmed in 27 non-endemic countries around the world. This is nearly three times the 257 cases reported a week earlier. Among the 27 countries with confirmed cases, the highest number was reported in the United Kingdom (207), followed by Spain (156), Portugal (138), Canada (58), and Germany (57).

However, multiple foreign media outlets including AFP predict that the actual number of infections is likely higher than the reported figures and express concerns about further spread. According to the international statistics site Our World in Data, as of the 3rd, confirmed monkeypox cases reached 898, nearing 900.

Nevertheless, WHO is downplaying the possibility of a pandemic raised by some. Dr. Rosamund Lewis, WHO's monkeypox lead, attending a related meeting on the 30th of last month, said about the potential for monkeypox to develop into a pandemic, "I don't know for sure, but I don't think so," and added, "At this point, we are not worried about a global pandemic."

At the same time, she warned that if the virus spreads to high-risk groups such as children and immunocompromised individuals, the public health risk could increase. According to AFP on the 5th, WHO emphasized, "Currently, the overall public health risk is low, but if this virus takes this opportunity to establish itself as a widely spreading human pathogen, the public health risk could increase."

Overseas arrivals receiving guidance from medical staff at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1. [Image source=Yonhap News]

South Korea's quarantine authorities have also entered a state of alert. Although no domestic cases have been confirmed so far, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) issued a monkeypox infectious disease crisis alert at the 'interest' level on the 31st of last month. On the 8th, a notice will be issued to designate monkeypox as a second-class legal infectious disease. Once classified as a second-class legal infectious disease, cases must be reported within 24 hours of occurrence or outbreak, and infected individuals will be quarantined.

Some express concerns that with the quarantine obligation for arrivals from overseas to South Korea being lifted from the 8th, monkeypox might enter the country through this gap. This lifting of quarantine measures is due to the stabilization of domestic and international COVID-19 quarantine situations and the global trend of countries exempting quarantine for overseas arrivals, including Germany and the United Kingdom.

In response to these concerns, quarantine authorities announced plans to strengthen management of overseas arrivals. On the 3rd, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a regular briefing in response to a question linking the lifting of quarantine for overseas arrivals and concerns about monkeypox entry, "This measure also applies to overseas arrivals who have not received COVID-19 vaccination, so it does not affect the possibility of monkeypox entry," adding, "Strengthening the management standards for monkeypox entry should be discussed separately."

He continued, "The domestic entry of new infectious diseases such as monkeypox, as well as COVID-19 variants, remains a concern, so please comply with overseas entry procedures," and added, "In the future, we will swiftly shift to strengthening overseas entry management in response to concerns about emerging variants and COVID-19 resurgence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.