Countries in Asia are now profusely getting prepared for monkeypox outbreak as they report their first cases of the virus identified as a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Japanese authorities on Monday announced the first detected case of monkeypox in the country -- a Tokyo resident in his 30s who is now receiving treatment had returned from Europe in mid-July. The man had developed fatigue followed by a fever, rash and headache, Health Ministry officials told reporters.
India is also on high alert after confirming its fourth monkeypox case in the capital Delhi on Monday. A 34-year-old man was admitted to hospital with rashes and a fever that had lasted two weeks. The first three cases were detected in the southern state of Kerala in travelers who had arrived from the United Arab Emirates.
The patient is reported to be "in a stable condition," with officials, declining to reveal further details about the patient, including his nationality.
The rate remains low in the continent but it is expected to rise in the coming weeks due to high rate of travelling in the region.
According to Khoo, it's only a matter of time before more countries in Asia identify monkeypox cases.
"Like Covid-19, border and travel restrictions didn't really stop the spread of monkeypox, only delaying it. The disease will (continue to) spread globally," said Khoo Yoong Khean, a scientific officer from the Duke-NUS Center for Outbreak Preparedness in Singapore.
"Cases in the US and Europe have been rising rapidly because of travel, trade and tourism. We will likely see more monkeypox cases being reported in Asia over the next few weeks to months.
"The real issue for countries in Asia now is whether the early detection and surveillance systems and processes are robust enough to handle the positive cases when they come through." he said.
He, however, cautioned against border restrictions.
"While (somewhat) useful as a stop-gap measure, these are not sustainable and something not many countries can endure again after their experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
Monkeypox, similar to smallpox, is caused by a virus and is more commonly found in Western and Central Africa. In the early stages, it can be mistaken for a cold or flu.
Initial symptoms of monkeypox infection include fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches and lack of energy, according to WHO. The disease later progresses into a rash and lesions that can blister and scab over all over the body -- usually lasting two to four weeks.
An ongoing outbreak of monkeypox, a viral disease, was confirmed in May 2022. The initial cluster of cases was found in the United Kingdom, where the first case was detected on 6 May 2022 in an individual with travel links to an African country.
Japan becomes the latest country in the continent after some others countries including Thailand, Singapore, India and China have all confirmed the disease in their countries.
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