First Domestic Suspected 'Wonsungi-dujang' Infection Case Detected: Two Overseas Arrivals Undergoing Tests (Update)

On the 27th, 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 Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The first suspected case of monkeypox infection, a viral disease spreading worldwide, has been reported in South Korea.

According to health authorities on the 22nd, two suspected cases of monkeypox infection were reported the previous day, and diagnostic tests are currently underway.

Among them, one individual was confirmed to be a Korean national male, Mr. A, who entered the country through Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 21st. During quarantine, he showed symptoms suspected of monkeypox and was transferred around 9:40 PM to Incheon Medical Center, which has dedicated beds. He is currently undergoing isolation treatment and testing for monkeypox confirmation. His health condition is reported to be stable so far.

If Mr. A is confirmed positive, he will be the first monkeypox patient in South Korea. A health official explained, "There have been patients reported with symptoms similar to monkeypox such as blisters and fever, but most were diagnosed with other diseases like chickenpox or hand, foot, and mouth disease. In this case, the suspected symptoms are clear, and since the patient entered from overseas, there is a possibility of confirmation, so we proactively started isolation treatment."

Earlier, Incheon City designated Incheon Medical Center as the dedicated medical institution in preparation for the possible domestic influx of monkeypox. The center has allocated two isolation beds and is prepared to hospitalize and treat suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients.

Health authorities also revealed that besides Mr. A, there is one more suspected monkeypox infection case reported the previous day, but details such as nationality, gender, overseas entry status, or whether they accompanied Mr. A have not been confirmed.

A health official stated, "We are currently verifying information about the suspected patients tonight, so additional announcements are difficult. Once the diagnostic test results are available, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will release separate materials or hold briefings to explain the measures."

Monkeypox is a virus endemic to the African region, but since the first reported case in the UK on the 7th of last month, it has rapidly spread to Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia, and other countries worldwide.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designated monkeypox as a second-class infectious disease on the 8th to enable a swift response if it enters the country. Confirmed patients will be isolated and treated at the National Medical Center. Accordingly, medical institutions must report confirmed cases to health authorities within 24 hours. The authorities also plan to classify contacts of confirmed patients into low, medium, and high-risk groups based on exposure level, and require high-risk contacts, such as recent cohabitants, to undergo 21 days of quarantine.