Incheon City Designates Incheon Medical Center as Dedicated Medical Institution for Monkeypox

Passengers arriving on flights from Europe at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 are waiting to undergo quarantine for overseas infectious diseases such as monkeypox. 2022.5.27 / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City announced on the 17th that it has designated Incheon Medical Center as a dedicated medical institution in preparation for the possible domestic influx of monkeypox.

Incheon Medical Center has allocated two isolation beds and will provide inpatient treatment for suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients.

The city plans to additionally designate two other large hospitals in the city as dedicated medical institutions if the number of confirmed monkeypox cases increases.

A city official stated, "Recently, monkeypox has been spreading overseas, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designated monkeypox as a second-class infectious disease on the 8th. Incheon City has also started systematic management to respond promptly in case of any situation."

Monkeypox, caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, is an acute febrile rash rare disease similar to smallpox but generally less severe.

It was first discovered in monkeys bred for research in 1958, and after the first human infection case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it mainly occurs in rural tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, monkeypox has been confirmed in 1,600 cases and suspected in 1,500 cases across 39 countries overseas. For high-risk contacts, a 21-day quarantine is mandatory, and legal measures such as reporting infectious disease patients, epidemiological investigations, and treatment are the same as for other second-class infectious diseases.

If symptoms such as fever and rash appear within 21 days after returning from a monkeypox outbreak area, consultation should be sought at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency call center (1339).