[New York Diary] US Declares Emergency... How Prepared Is Korea for Monkeypox?

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Josulgina] “It is not a new virus. It will not spread like COVID-19.” This was the assessment from the Biden administration and many local experts when monkeypox began spreading mainly in Europe last May.

However, the situation reversed in just over two months. The Biden administration ultimately declared a ‘public health emergency’ for monkeypox last week. As of the 5th, the official number of confirmed cases in the U.S. surpassed 7,100. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra urged at the emergency declaration, “I urge every American to take monkeypox seriously.” President Biden has also started receiving regular briefings on monkeypox. Recent local reports from White House sources revealed that President Biden was very angry about the vaccine shortage situation.

Concerns are now mounting that community transmission in the U.S. is only a matter of time. The emergency declaration is largely symbolic, and if current issues such as vaccine shortages are not resolved, rapid spread is inevitable. This is why criticism is growing that, as with COVID-19, the Biden administration was late in its initial response.

The U.S. currently has 1.1 million doses of the Jynneos vaccine, enough for about 550,000 people (two doses each). However, vaccine shortages are already severe in states like California, New York, and Illinois, which had previously declared state-level emergencies. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the at-risk population for monkeypox infection to be around 1.7 million people.

Monkeypox, first identified in monkeys in 1958, is a viral infectious disease similar to smallpox. After initial symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, lymphadenitis, and fatigue appear, blisters and scabs form on the skin. As of the 5th, monkeypox infections have rapidly spread to over 27,000 people across 84 countries worldwide.

People are lined up in long queues to receive the monkeypox vaccine in Los Angeles, California, USA. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The problem is that the actual number of infected people could be much higher. Since severe cases are fewer than with COVID-19 and most cases so far have been confirmed among men who have sex with men, it is estimated that a significant number of infected individuals are hiding their infection due to fear of stigma. This is also why U.S. health authorities and federal and state governments have struggled with early public awareness campaigns for monkeypox prevention.

However, since infection can also occur through contact with contaminated objects, it is important to be cautious about focusing the response solely on ‘sexual transmission.’ Experts now warn that it is only a matter of time before monkeypox spreads to other groups. In Europe, already called the ‘epicenter of the outbreak,’ it has been confirmed that infections, which had mainly been among young men, have rapidly spread to children and adolescents. The World Health Organization (WHO) Infection Prevention Committee emphasized, “Anyone who has had close contact with an infected person is at risk of infection.”

South Korea is maintaining the monkeypox infectious disease crisis level at ‘caution.’ Since the first confirmed case at the end of June, no additional cases have been identified. However, vigilance cannot be relaxed. With the summer vacation season, the number of travelers visiting Europe, the U.S., and other monkeypox-affected regions, as well as foreigners and Koreans coming from these countries to Korea, is rapidly increasing. The slow pace of vaccine procurement is also a concern. While countries including the U.S. are struggling to secure new vaccines, the Korean government cannot rule out the possibility of delays in the already contracted delivery schedules.

Excessive alarm may be unnecessary. However, we must not forget that we already experienced vaccine shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no safe zone from virus spread.