Beware of Monkeypox! ... Gimhae City Quarantine Authorities Raise Crisis Level to 'Caution'

Gimhae City Hall, Gyeongnam. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Gimhae City, Gyeongnam Province, has raised the monkeypox alert level.

On the 23rd, Gimhae City announced that on the 22nd, the first confirmed case of monkeypox in Korea was identified, prompting health authorities to elevate the infection risk level from "Interest" to "Caution."

The city informed that it has distributed a monkeypox medical staff guide containing precautions and reporting methods when treating suspected or infected patients to local medical institutions.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic infectious disease with an incubation period of 5 to 21 days. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, lymphadenitis, and fatigue, followed by the appearance of blisters and scabs on the skin.

It is reported that infection can occur when the blood or bodily fluids of an infected patient seep into skin wounds or mucous membranes, or through contact with infected animals.

The city urged the public to ▲ wear masks and follow personal hygiene rules ▲ avoid touching mucous membrane areas such as eyes, nose, and mouth with contaminated hands ▲ refrain from visiting monkeypox outbreak areas ▲ avoid contact with rodents, primates, and animal carcasses in outbreak regions such as Africa, and not to handle or consume wild game ▲ and avoid contact with suspected or confirmed infected patients.

A city official stated, “If symptoms appear within 21 days after visiting a monkeypox outbreak country or traveling, you should call the public health center or the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency call center for consultation.”