The World Health Organization declared the spread of Mpox a global health emergency last week.
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Countries in Asia are closely monitoring Mpox cases after the World Health Organization recently declared an escalating outbreak in Africa a global public health emergency.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is divided into two different groups: Clade 1 and Clade 2. It is transmissible through direct contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated objects.
According to NBC News, Clade 2 was responsible for the 2022 outbreak that resulted in around 100,000 cases worldwide. But now a version of Clade 1 has spread internationally after starting in the Democratic Republic of Congo in January 2023.
In his statement, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “It is clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”
On Thursday, Sweden reported the first known case of Clade 1 outside Africa. On Monday, the Philippines reported its first Mpox case since December last year, although the strain has not yet been identified there.
This is how Asia’s four largest economies have reacted so far:
China
Chinese customs authorities announced that they will increase surveillance at ports of entry.
People arriving from countries and territories with confirmed MPOX cases who have been exposed to MPOX and have symptoms such as fever, headache, back pain or skin rashes must report their condition to customs, the General Administration of Customs said.
Local news reported that planes and ships carrying containers and cargo from countries and areas with MPOX cases are also being disinfected.
These measures came into force on Thursday and will be enforced for the next six months.
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously monitoring the Mpox outbreak, the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
The last case of MPOX was detected in March, and as of Sunday, no more cases had been reported in the country, according to official figures.
Last week, the Indian Center for Disease Control held a meeting of health experts to assess the risk, officials said. Health teams at international airports were also made aware of the situation.
Health authorities also announced that they would step up surveillance to detect possible cases in a timely manner and improve laboratory testing capacity for early diagnosis, officials added, without providing further details in the statement.
Healthcare providers such as hospitals and clinics also face the task of raising awareness about the virus.
Japan
According to local news, Japanese government officials met on Friday to discuss possible measures and review strategies, and agreed to collect data from countries where outbreaks have been confirmed.
Authorities plan to raise awareness about Mpox and its spread among travelers entering or leaving the country, the Japan Times reported. It is unclear whether the country will take further measures.
Meanwhile, the country's health minister, Keizo Takemi, said at a recent press conference that Tokyo was preparing to send Japanese-made vaccines to Congo upon a request, the newspaper added.
South Korea
According to local news, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that while the MPOX situation is “manageable” with existing measures, quarantine and surveillance efforts are being strengthened.
The KDCA made the remarks on Friday after holding a meeting with medical experts to discuss the risk of an outbreak.
During the meeting, officials decided to enforce quarantine measures for passengers on direct flights from countries where “epidemiological investigators and public health doctors are stationed on site.” They also decided not to reissue a crisis alert that was lifted in May last year, the Korea Times reported.
Korea also plans to step up awareness campaigns to urge people with symptoms to seek immediate medical attention, it said.
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