Here’s how Asian nations have reacted to WHO emergency declaration

Countries in Asia are closely monitoring for mpox cases after the World Health Organization recently declared an escalating outbreak in Africa as a global public health emergency.

Mpox, formerly generally known as monkeypox, is assessed into two distinct groups: clade 1 and clade 2. It’s transmissible through direct contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated items.

Clade 2 was liable for the 2022 outbreak, which has led to around 100,000 cases worldwide, NBC News reported, but now, a version of clade 1 has spread internationally, after starting within the Democratic Republic of Congo in January 2023.

In making the declaration, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “it’s clear that a coordinated international response is required to stop these outbreaks and save lives.”

On Thursday, Sweden reported the primary known case of clade 1 outside Africa. Then on Monday, the Philippines reported its first case of mpox since December of last 12 months, even though it has not yet identified the strain.

Here’s how the 4 largest economies in Asia have responded to this point:

China’s customs authorities announced they are going to strengthen surveillance at ports of entry.

People arriving from nations and areas with confirmed mpox cases and have been exposed to mpox with symptoms similar to fever, headache, backpain or rashes must declare their condition to customs, the General Administration of Customs said.

Aircraft and vessels carrying containers, in addition to cargo, arriving from nations and areas with mpox cases may even be sanitized, reported local news.

These measures went into effect Thursday, and will probably be enforced for the subsequent six months.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly monitoring the mpox outbreak, the country’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a press release.

The last case of mpox was detected in March, and as of Sunday, there aren’t any reported cases within the country, in keeping with officials.

Prior to now week, a gathering of health experts was held by India’s National Center of Disease Control to evaluate the danger, officials said. And health teams at international airports have also been made aware of the situation.

Health authorities have also announced that they are going to enhance surveillance in an effort to promptly detect potential cases, in addition to improve laboratory testing capabilities for early diagnosis, officials added, though they didn’t include any further details within the statement.

Health-care providers, similar to hospitals and clinics, have also been tasked with increasing awareness of the virus.

Officials in Japan met on Friday to debate potential actions and review strategies, local news reported, and agreed to assemble data from countries where outbreaks have been confirmed.

Authorities plan to lift awareness of mpox and its spread amongst travelers entering and leaving the country, The Japan Times reported. It’s unclear if the country will implement any additional measures.

Meanwhile, the country’s health minister, Keizo Takemi, recently said at a press conference that Tokyo is gearing as much as send Japan-made vaccines made to the Congo, in response to a request, the outlet added.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has said that while the mpox situation stays “manageable” under existing measures, it should still bolster quarantine and surveillance efforts, in keeping with local news.

The KDCA issued the remarks on Friday after holding a gathering with health workers to debate risk of an outbreak.

In the course of the meeting officials decided to implement quarantine measures for those on direct flights from countries with “epidemiological investigators and public health doctors deployed on-site,” and decided to not reissue a crisis alert that was lifted May of last 12 months, The Korea Times reported.

Korea can also be planning to spice up awareness campaigns to induce those with symptoms to go to a health care provider immediately, it added.