"Monkeypox Cases Could Reach 1 Million by September" Warning... South Korea Must Hurry to Introduce 3rd Generation Vaccine

As of the 29th of last month, 5,135 confirmed cases... 8 weeks since the first case
"If the current situation continues, 1 million cases may occur by the end of September"
WHO "High-risk groups such as children and pregnant women may be infected"
US and Europe accelerate preparations for 3rd generation vaccine rollout

As the spread of monkeypox continues, countries around the world are preparing for vaccination. The photo shows a notice reading "Monkeypox Infectious Disease Warning" displayed on a monitor at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport, Yeongjongdo. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] As the number of confirmed monkeypox cases surpassed 5,000, warnings have emerged that if the spread continues, there could be 1 million confirmed cases by September. Accordingly, countries are accelerating preparations for vaccination.

According to the international statistics site 'Our World in Data' on the 1st, the number of confirmed monkeypox cases reached 5,135 as of the 29th of last month. This marks the surpassing of 5,000 confirmed cases about eight weeks after the first case was reported in the UK on May 6.

In the UK, the number reached 1,077, with confirmed cases rapidly emerging across Europe including Germany (874), Spain (800), France (440), and Portugal (391). Confirmed cases are also steadily increasing in the United States (351) and Canada (276), while in Asia, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan each reported one confirmed case.

Experts are urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to respond swiftly. Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health warned on his Twitter on the 29th, based on predictive modeling, that "if the current poor spread situation continues, the global number of monkeypox cases could reach 100,000 by August and 1 million by the end of September."

The WHO is reviewing whether to declare monkeypox a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)'. On the 25th, the WHO convened an emergency committee to discuss the spread of monkeypox but postponed an official declaration. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "At this point, this event is not considered to meet the criteria for the highest level of alert, an emergency, issued by WHO."

However, Director-General Ghebreyesus reversed his position and announced plans to reconvene an emergency meeting to discuss declaring an emergency. At a press conference on the 29th, he expressed concern, saying, "Monkeypox has now been identified in more than 50 new countries (outside Africa), and sustained transmission is worrisome. It could spread to high-risk groups such as children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. Several children have already been reported infected with monkeypox."

On the morning of the 27th of last month, medical staff at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, are receiving monkeypox vaccinations. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Governments worldwide are speeding up preparations for vaccination. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to supply 1.6 million vaccine doses within this year. In the coming weeks, vaccination for high-risk groups will begin in areas with concentrated infection cases. The vaccine supplied by the U.S. is a third-generation smallpox vaccine developed by Bavarian Nordic. Europe is also reviewing vaccine use. Currently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is awaiting the formal approval application for Bavarian Nordic's vaccine.

In South Korea, where the first confirmed case recently occurred, voices are calling for the expedited introduction of the third-generation vaccine. The third-generation vaccine is known to have fewer side effects, a simpler administration method, and excellent preventive effects compared to the first and second generations. The health authorities are reportedly negotiating with manufacturers to introduce the third-generation vaccine, but the schedule and quantity have not been finalized. South Korea began vaccinating medical personnel responsible for monkeypox treatment with the second-generation vaccine starting from the 27th of last month.