Kishida To Announce Steps Against Monkeypox
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he is planning to inform the public about the characteristics of monkeypox and how to prevent its spread.
Kishida revealed his intention at a meeting of executives of his Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday, one day after Japan confirmed its first case of the viral disease.
He said he will inform the public that monkeypox spreads through physical contact and that smallpox vaccines are effective against it.
Meanwhile, health minister Goto Shigeyuki said the government has been responding to the situation.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said the system for monitoring outbreaks has been beefed up and that a vaccination and treatment system is in place.
He said Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management Murata Takashi will convene a task force comprised of senior officials of relevant government offices Tuesday for a second straight day.
He said the government will take necessary steps and ensure that offices keep lines of communication open to stop infections from spreading. He added that the government will work with the World Health Organization and monitor cases in Japan and elsewhere.