◀ anchor ▶
A case of monkeypox infection, which is spreading mainly in the United States and Europe, was confirmed once more in Korea for the first time in two months.
The quarantine authorities started an epidemiological investigation to find contacts.
However, the likelihood of domestic spread is still low.
This is Reporter Jun-beom Lee.
◀ Report ▶
The second patient with monkeypox infection in Korea is a Korean national who returned from Europe.
After arriving in Korea on the 18th of last month, I was confirmed yesterday, two weeks later.
There were no symptoms at the time of entry, but ten days later, fever, headache, and dizziness appeared.
The quarantine authorities said that the person who suspected the symptoms inquired at the public health center and had a diagnostic test.
We were outside the quarantine network until we reported it directly.
The incubation period of up to 3 weeks for monkey pox is pointed out as the biggest cause.
In addition, the difficulty in distinguishing it from other diseases is also cited as the reason for the difficulty in early diagnosis.
In the case of this patient, it was found that the overseas visit history was not notified during the hospital treatment stage.
[이재갑/한림대 강남성심병원 감염내과 교수]
“How many people have fever and rashes. There’s no way to check if you just sit quietly. You have to keep emphasizing that it’s very important that you report it.”
The contacts identified so far are one family member, one colleague, and medical staff met at the hospital.
However, as it is spread only through close skin-to-skin contact, the possibility of community spread is very low, according to the quarantine authorities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recently announced that monkeypox is a disease that can be prevented if appropriate measures are taken, unlike the corona virus.
[테워드로스 아드하놈 거브러여수스/WHO 사무총장 (지난 1일)]
“In the near future, we may be living with COVID-19, but we will not have to live with monkey pox.”
The first confirmed case in Korea, which occurred in June, was discharged following recovering following a full week of quarantine treatment.
This is Lee Jun-beom from MBC News.
Video Editing: Im Joo-hyang
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