Starting this year, syphilis will move from a Level 4 infectious disease subject to sample surveillance to a Level 3 disease subject to full surveillance.
On the other hand, mpox, a Level 2 infectious disease, will be converted to a Level 3 infectious disease and managed under the general healthcare system.
On Tuesday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced the change in infectious disease management policies for 2024. The agency categorizes statutory infectious diseases from Level 1 to Level 4, according to the Act on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, and designates 89 infectious diseases as subject to management.
According to the KDCA, from 2024, syphilis, a Level 4 infectious disease subject to sample surveillance, while mpox, a Level 2 infectious disease requiring quarantine, will be converted to Level 3 infectious diseases to reflect the epidemic situation, adjusting them to infectious diseases subject to full surveillance in the general healthcare system.
In particular, syphilis, which can be transmitted for a long period and can progress to severe complications if not treated on time, and considering the need to combat congenital syphilis, has been decided to be switched to full surveillance from the previous sample surveillance.
As a result, the agency will strengthen the reporting obligation of syphilis infectious diseases and include it in the epidemiological investigation, which is expected to prevent further transmission.
Mpox, downgraded to the watch level in September 2023, will be managed as a Level 3 infectious disease from next year as the situation stabilizes, including a steady decline in cases.
As a result, mild cases will be managed within the general healthcare system so that they can be tested and treated outpatient without mandatory quarantine, improving access to treatment for mpox patients.
However, for severe patients deemed to require inpatient treatment in a medical institution, the agency will maintain quarantine and support for hospitalization costs and designate cooperating medical institutions in all cities and provinces to prepare for critical patient emergencies.
The agency plans to integrate empox with other infectious diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and sexually transmitted diseases, to ensure efficient infectious disease response.
"We will continue to build an infectious disease prevention and management system that can effectively respond to fluctuations in the epidemic," KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said. "We will create a society where people can feel more secure from infectious diseases based on different infectious disease management policies from 2024."