1 Foreigner and 1 Domestic Entrant Undergoing Testing for Suspected 'Wonsungi Duchang' Infection (Update)

Foreign National with Sore Throat and Blisters Reported at Busan Hospital on 21st
Domestic Traveler Arriving at Incheon Airport Same Day Transferred to Incheon Medical Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Suspected cases of monkeypox, a viral disease, have been reported for the first time in South Korea. A foreign national who arrived on the 20th and a Korean national who returned on the 21st are currently isolated and receiving treatment at hospitals in Busan and Incheon, respectively.

According to health authorities on the 22nd, two suspected monkeypox cases were reported domestically for the first time the previous day, and diagnostic tests are currently underway. A suspected case refers to a situation where monkeypox is suspected based on clinical symptoms and epidemiological links, but test results meeting diagnostic criteria have not yet been confirmed.

The first suspected case is a foreign national, Mr. A, who arrived on the 20th by air. Since the 19th, he experienced systemic symptoms including sore throat and lymphadenopathy, along with vesicular skin lesions, and received medical care at a hospital in Busan on the morning of the 21st. The hospital reported Mr. A as a suspected monkeypox case at 4 p.m. that day and transferred him to an isolation ward for treatment.

The second suspected case, Mr. B, a Korean national, was confirmed to have returned through Incheon Airport around 4 p.m. on the 21st. Mr. B began experiencing headaches on the 18th before arrival and showed systemic symptoms including a mild fever of 37 degrees Celsius, sore throat, weakness, fatigue, and skin lesions upon entry. He voluntarily reported his suspected infection to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency during the entry process and was classified as a suspected case by airport quarantine and central epidemiological investigators. Mr. B waited at the airport isolation facility and was transferred to Incheon Medical Center around 9 p.m. that day, where he is receiving treatment in an isolation ward.

The health authorities stated, "Diagnostic tests and epidemiological investigations for monkeypox are currently underway," and added, "We will provide guidance on measures and response plans through a briefing as soon as test results are available."