The World On arirang

South Korea confirmed its first case of monkeypox now almost a week ago.
No word yet of it spreading, and the person who has it is reportedly self-isolating at home.
But this rare disease continues to spread in other countries, and South Korea is going to be offering vaccines to those who feel they may be at risk.
For the latest on monkeypox here and elsewhere, we're pleased to welcome to the program Professor Sohn Ho-joon from the College of Medicine at Seoul National University.


Q1. The World Health Organization has decided in a meeting not to designate monkepox a global health emergency. What do you make of that decision?

Q2. There have now been cases of monkey pox confirmed in Singapore and Taiwan. Africa, where it is endemic. Also, of course, cases concentrated in Europe and North America. What's the trend now in terms of the spread?

Q3. Looking at the one case detected so far in Korea, those who came in contact with the person on the flight to Korea apparently do not want to get a vaccine. This is a so-called "second generation" smallpox vaccine, which is available in Korea. What can this vaccine do in terms of prevention, and is there a need for a third generation vaccine?

Q4. What kinds of treatments are there for monkeypox, and which ones are available in Korea?

Q5. There is a widespread misapprehension that monkeypox only affects gay men. In some quarters, this could discourage people to report symptoms. What can be done in this regard?

Q6. How can monkeypox be distinguished from other diseases, like chickenpox or herpes? What specific symptoms should one look for?