The domestic Mpox (monkeypox) infectious disease alert level has been downgraded from 'Caution' to 'Interest' after 8 months.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Central Disease Control Headquarters announced on the 20th that the Mpox alert level has been lowered as of that date. Following the downgrade, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and local government regional quarantine task forces have been disbanded, and future responses will be centered around the Mpox task force within the KDCA.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters explained, "We comprehensively considered the domestic and international outbreak situation and domestic quarantine response capabilities," adding, "At the risk assessment meeting on the 17th, the overall risk level of Mpox for the general population was evaluated as 'low'." The first confirmed case of Mpox in Korea occurred on June 22 of last year. Accordingly, the alert level was immediately raised to 'Caution' and maintained for about 8 months until the day before.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided on the 8th of this month at an emergency committee meeting to maintain the declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). However, domestically, no additional cases have been reported for 91 days since the last patient, the WHO also assessed the risk level in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region as low, and considering that a rapid response system is sufficiently in place even if some overseas importations occur, the KDCA explained that the downgrade of the alert was decided.
As of the 16th, the cumulative number of suspected Mpox cases (patients under investigation) in Korea is 56, with a total of 4 confirmed cases. Since the confirmed case on November 22 of last year, no additional cases have been reported to date.
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