Hong Kong considering buying vaccines for monkeypox despite ‘low risk’ of disease detected in city, health officials say
- Health chief Sophia Chan says authorities will continue to monitor situation closely but does not reveal what types of vaccine or medication are being considered
- Smallpox vaccination is at least 80 per cent effective in protecting against monkeypox, says director of health Dr Ronald Lam
Hong Kong is considering purchasing vaccines for monkeypox even though the risk of the infectious disease being detected in the city is low, health officials have said.
The city has been on guard against the disease, after a number of countries outside endemic nations in West and Central Africa reported confirmed and suspected cases.
“We are carrying on our risk assessment. The risk is here but not high,” Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said on Thursday. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
Director of health Dr Ronald Lam Man-kin said authorities were considering purchasing vaccines for protection against the disease.
“We are actively in touch with relevant pharmaceutical firms to see if there is any vaccine,” Lam said, adding that early identification, isolation and treatment were also important public health tools in combating the disease.
While the infection is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms such as fever, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes and rash, severe conditions could occur more commonly among children. The fatality rate could be up to around 10 per cent.
According to the Centre for Health Protection website, there is currently no vaccine or antiviral medication registered specifically for monkeypox in Hong Kong.
“In terms of vaccines or whether we have enough medication for treatment, if we have any of those cases, we are preparing. The Department of Health and the Hospital Authority are handling, [regardless of whether] it’s vaccine or medication,” Chan said, but did not reveal what types of vaccine or medication authorities were looking into.
In a separate reply to inquiries from the Post, the Department of Health said it was aware that overseas drug regulatory agencies had approved the smallpox vaccine for prevention of monkeypox. The department said it was reaching out to the relevant drug makers on the supply of the vaccine.
The Hospital Authority said it maintained close contact with drug manufacturers and would procure suitable medication at appropriate times.
Lam said vaccination against smallpox, which is closely related to monkeypox, was at least 80 per cent effective in protecting against the recent monkeypox infections which had raised concern among the international medical community.
Global vaccination against smallpox ceased after the disease was eradicated in 1980.
A new vaccine, known as Jynneos, has been approved for use in the United States in preventing monkeypox and smallpox. Bavarian Nordic, the Danish biotechnology company that produced the vaccine, said earlier this week that it had already been approached by many countries keen on procuring the jabs.
Monkeypox test kits developed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche
Another smallpox vaccine named ACAM2000 was also approved for use in the US, which has stocked more than 100 million doses and is planning to use them for prevention against monkeypox.
Two antiviral drugs, known as tecovirimat and brincidofovir, have also been approved for treatment of smallpox and shown promising results in combating monkeypox in animals, according to a study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal earlier this week.
The Centre for Health Protection on Monday issued a letter to all doctors in Hong Kong to stay vigilant against monkeypox, and report any suspected cases.
