Hong Kong has “fallen out” of monkeypox cases. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health said yesterday (6th) that the authorities are currently procuring monkeypox vaccines, which are expected to arrive in Hong Kong this month. However, the authorities cited WHO’s advice that the vaccine is not intended to be administered to the entire population of Hong Kong, and that the target group is close contacts and high-risk groups of monkeypox. The former are people who have been exposed to patients; the latter are medical, laboratory personnel, and people who engage in high-risk activities, such as gay men. The authorities also said that the number of vaccines depends on the number of imported cases and exposures, and stressed that if they want to increase purchases, they are confident in purchasing them from pharmaceutical companies.
The CHP said that imported cases, including monkeypox, are “absolutely possible”. As the current new crown measures require all arriving passengers to be quarantined, it also shows its role in preventing monkeypox from flowing out of the community. The patient arrived in Hong Kong on the first day. Has been admitted to the hospital due to ill health. After the authorities found monkeypox cases overseas, they have also made preparations, including hospital inspections and laboratory tests provided by the Department of Health. Therefore, after taking a urine sample from the patient on the 5th, the diagnosis can be confirmed today.
The authorities continued to point out that overseas monkeypox has appeared in foreign countries, especially in the United States, Europe and other places, so it is difficult to prevent the importation of other cases, emphasizing that the main topic is how to prevent and reduce the spread of monkeypox. For example, most monkeypox cases involve males. Patients are transmitted through male-to-male contact, so health education should be strengthened, such as protective measures for any high-risk activities.