BioScience Trends. 2022;16(4):245-248. (DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01343)

Monkeypox – A danger approaching Asia

Liu XN, Zhu Z, Miao QQ, Lim JW, Lu HZ

Since the end of June 2022, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of monkeypox cases worldwide. Given the potential spread of this epidemic, WHO has declared the monkeypox epidemic a global public health emergency. In the face of the changing epidemiology during this monkeypox outbreak, vaccines and preventive measures are being researched around the world in response to this emerging disease. Recently, confirmed cases were reported in South Korea and Japan; as connections between countries around the world resume, imported cases may be inevitable. China is also concerned and prepared for the danger approaching Asia. In response to this risk, China issued the "Monkeypox Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines" and the General Administration of Customs of China announced that travelers from countries reporting monkeypox cases and with suspected symptoms should be identified to customs upon entry. Chinese researchers have recently generated two pseudovirus reference materials for the monkeypox viral wild-type B6R gene and mutant F3L gene. Moreover, monkeypox as a communicable disease can be added to the current COVID-19 tracking system for better surveillance and management.

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