3D generated image of a DNA spiral being attacked by the monkeypox virus.
Uma Shankar Sharma | moment |
Countries in Asia have tightened their precautions after cases of the new and more deadly Mpox strain, known as Clade 1b, were recently detected outside the African continent.
At least four countries outside the African continent have recently reported Mpox cases: Thailand, the Philippines, Sweden and Pakistan.
Thailand
Thailand, where the first case of this variant was confirmed on Thursday, will tighten surveillance and screening measures at its international airports.
Travellers from countries experiencing MPOX outbreaks must register on the Ministry of Public Health’s online platform before travelling to Thailand and must undergo a health screening upon arrival. Visitors exhibiting MPOX symptoms will be quarantined.
People arriving from countries with outbreaks are being screened for rashes and fever. The government has also set up a quarantine facility in case of a large-scale outbreak.
The first and so far only clade 1b strain in Thailand was found in a 66-year-old European man who had traveled from Africa.
Singapore
Singapore on Thursday tightened its precautions against MPOX. The country’s Ministry of Health said temperature and visual checks will be conducted on arriving travellers and arriving staff at certain airports. Travellers who exhibit rash, fever or other MPOX symptoms will be referred for medical examination.
However, there are currently no direct flights between Singapore and countries where MPOX outbreaks occur.
Similar screening procedures are also being used at sea checkpoints for people arriving by ship from MPOX-affected areas. As of Thursday, 13 cases of the “less severe” Clade 2 infections have been detected in the country this year, the Health Ministry said. Cases of the Clade 1b strain have not been detected so far.
South Korea
The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reclassified Mpox as an infectious disease requiring quarantine, the country’s health authorities said on Tuesday.
Arrivals from eight African countries must report to quarantine authorities if they exhibit symptoms of MPOX. These include arrivals from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Kenya, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Epidemiologists and public health doctors are being deployed at the gates for direct flights to Ethiopia at Incheon Airport, the main international airport in Seoul. There have been no cases of the Clade 1b variant in South Korea so far.
Indonesia
Philippines and Malaysia
Although the Philippines has not yet implemented concrete preventive measures at its airports, a Philippine senator recently called on schools to enforce stricter health and hygiene measures. He also reiterated his call for the establishment of a Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, whose goal is to prevent all diseases of public health importance.
The Philippines reported its first MPOX case of the year this week, although the country’s health minister cautioned it was the mild Clade 2 variant. According to Reuters, there have been 10 lab-confirmed cases in the country since July 2022.
In Malaysia, travelers from countries where cases of MPOX have been reported must monitor their health for 21 days after arrival, the country’s health ministry said.
People with a “history of risky activities” and symptoms of MPOX are advised to seek medical attention at a health facility. No case of the Clade 1b variant has been reported in Malaysia so far.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection The disease is transmitted through close contact and can cause flu-like symptoms and purulent lesions. Although it is usually mild, it can be fatal.
