S.Korea reports 1st suspected monkeypox cases

South Korea on Wednesday reported its first two suspected monkeypox cases, according to the health authorities.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said two suspected cases were found Tuesday afternoon and diagnostic tests were underway.

The first suspected patient was a foreigner, who arrived here on Monday after developing symptoms such as a sore throat and skin lesions from Sunday.

The foreigner visited a hospital in Busan, about 450 km southeast of the capital Seoul, on Tuesday and was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

The second case was a South Korean who arrived here from Germany on Tuesday after showing symptoms including mild fever, sore throat, asthenia, fatigue and skin lesions from Saturday.

After arriving here, the South Korean voluntarily reported to the health authorities and was admitted to the Incheon Medical Center in Incheon, west of Seoul.

South Korea has designated monkeypox as a second-degree infectious disease in its four-tier system. In the second-degree category were 22 contagious diseases such as COVID-19.