On August 13, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared MPOX a public health emergency of continental security concern, and three days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) quickly declared MPOX a public health emergency of international concern, indicating that it has the potential to become a global pandemic second only to COVID-19.
We now know that MPOX is transmitted through close contact with a sick person, but because the incubation period is one to two weeks, the sick person may not know they have the infection. A rash on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, or around the genitals is a sign of MPOX.
MPOX has a significant material impact, with clade I (endemic in Central Africa) killing more patients than clade II (endemic in West Africa, causing a global epidemic in 2022). As of January 11, 2023, the cumulative number of laboratory-confirmed MPOX cases reported is 84,400, including 76 deaths. Meanwhile, Singapore has reported a total of 21 confirmed cases of MPOX, excluding isolated cases in 2019. By February 2023, 110 countries worldwide have reported MPOX cases.
It is crucial that authorities in Southeast Asia remain vigilant and not panic, as the region's proximity to regions such as South Asia and its interconnectedness with the Middle East, Europe and Africa increases the risk of MPOX infection to its residents.
However, the region strategically offers multiple entry points for the movement of people and goods across borders, and is also one of the fastest growing in terms of economy and population, creating tensions for policymakers in responding to recurring virus outbreaks. Can the region learn lessons from COVID-19 to tackle a polio outbreak?
Southeast Asia, both as a region and as individual countries, faced several challenges in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing both strengths and weaknesses. One major issue was the uneven capacity for surveillance, monitoring, and data sharing of the virus outbreak across the region.
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Some countries have stronger systems in place while others struggle with limited capacity. This disparity highlights the urgent need to expand public health infrastructure and invest in local response capacities to ensure a more unified and effective approach to future pandemics.
