Utilization of ITS Program Linked with Pharmaceutical Safe Use Service
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Starting from the 1st of next month, medical institutions will receive travel history information related to five countries with frequent monkeypox cases.
On the 29th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced that from July 1st, it will provide overseas travel history related to monkeypox to medical institutions by utilizing the ITS (International Travel History Information System) program linked to the DUR (Drug Utilization Review) system.
Initially, information will be provided focusing on five countries with frequent monkeypox cases where fever surveillance has been strengthened: the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and France. A KDCA official explained, "Considering future overseas outbreak situations and domestic import cases, we plan to gradually expand this to countries within the quarantine management area."
The health authorities expect that this measure will encourage medical institutions to be more vigilant during diagnosis, and if any suspected monkeypox cases are identified, the institutions will report them to public health centers and the KDCA, thereby preventing potential local spread.
Due to the long incubation period characteristic of monkeypox, the reporting by medical institutions that receive overseas travel history information will aid in the response to monkeypox.
Meanwhile, ITS information is currently provided for five diseases: COVID-19, MERS, plague, Ebola, and Lassa fever. Monkeypox will be added starting from the 1st of next month.
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