Rash Spreads to Other Areas 1-3 Days Later
WHO to Decide on Declaring Emergency on the 23rd
On the 27th of last month, passengers arriving on a flight from Europe at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 are waiting to undergo quarantine for overseas infectious diseases such as monkeypox. / Photo by Asia Economy
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] As more than 2,500 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in 38 countries worldwide, U.S. health authorities have revised the initial symptom of monkeypox from fever to rash.
On the 21st, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new guidelines for identifying monkeypox. According to the guidelines, the initial symptom of monkeypox is now "skin rash," and additional representative symptoms include "anal and rectal pain," "rectal bleeding," "enteritis," or "a feeling of needing to defecate."
This update comes after new reports showed that instead of the previously known initial symptoms of fever, headache, and muscle pain, rashes first appear around the mouth, genitals, and anus, accompanied by anal and rectal pain.
The rash reportedly begins to spread to other parts of the body 1 to 3 days after symptoms appear and is accompanied by lower abdominal pain or rectal bleeding.
Monkeypox, which had long been considered an African endemic disease, has been spreading since last month, starting in Europe and then to North and South America. According to the overseas statistics site Our World in Data, as of the 19th, there were 2,580 confirmed monkeypox virus cases in 39 countries worldwide.
Confirmed cases are also continuing in Asia. Following the United Arab Emirates (UAE), another West Asian country, Lebanon, has reported monkeypox infections.
Regarding this, the Lebanese Ministry of Health explained, "A person who recently returned from overseas travel has been infected with monkeypox and is currently isolated at home." The ministry is tracing close contacts of the first infected individual.
On the same day (the 20th), a resident in Brazil who had not traveled to Europe or other foreign countries was also diagnosed with monkeypox. The man stated that although he had not traveled abroad, he recently had contact with foreigners. Accordingly, health authorities are tracing the transmission route.
Meanwhile, the WHO plans to hold an emergency meeting on the 23rd to decide whether to declare a public health emergency of international concern regarding monkeypox.
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has also issued an infectious disease crisis alert at the "interest" level and classified monkeypox as a second-class infectious disease since the 8th. In July, 500 doses of "Tecovirimat," approved as a monkeypox treatment, are scheduled to be imported into the country.
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