Core Points - The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and Kobe City confirmed the first case of the "branch Ib" strain of monkeypox virus in Japan, involving a woman in her 20s who recently traveled to Africa [1] - The woman exhibited symptoms including rash, blisters, fever, and swollen lymph nodes, and her condition is currently stable [1] - The "branch Ib" strain is a variant of the monkeypox virus strain "branch I," which emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 and has spread to other countries [1] - The World Health Organization declared on September 5 that the monkeypox outbreak no longer constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern," while the Africa CDC still considers it a public health emergency in Africa as of September 4 [1] Summary by Category Infection Details - A woman in her 20s in Kobe City is confirmed to have the "branch Ib" strain of monkeypox virus, marking Japan's first reported case of this strain [1] - Symptoms include rash, blisters, fever, and swollen lymph nodes, with the patient's condition being stable [1] Virus Strain Information - The "branch Ib" strain is a variant of the monkeypox virus strain "branch I," which was first identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 and has since spread to other regions [1] Public Health Response - The World Health Organization announced on September 5 that the monkeypox outbreak is no longer a public health emergency of international concern [1] - The Africa CDC, however, maintains that the monkeypox outbreak still constitutes a public health emergency in Africa as of September 4 [1]

Core Insights - The development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs for monkeypox has made significant progress, with new derivatives showing stronger efficacy than existing treatments [1][4][5] - The urgency for effective treatments for monkeypox is highlighted by the recent termination of clinical trials for tecovirimat due to its ineffectiveness in improving key symptoms [2][3] Group 1: Research and Development - The National Center for Infectious Diseases and the Guangzhou National Laboratory's Shanghai base have published research on new antiviral compounds that inhibit orthopoxviruses and human adenoviruses more effectively than brincidofovir [1][4] - The new drug candidates, including ODE-(S)-HPMPA formate, exhibit approximately 40 times greater potency against monkeypox virus compared to existing treatments [4][5] Group 2: Current Situation and Challenges - Monkeypox, caused by the monkeypox virus, poses a serious global health threat, with over 127,905 confirmed cases and 283 deaths reported worldwide as of February 2025 [3] - The lack of specific antiviral treatments for monkeypox necessitates the development of new therapeutic options, as current management primarily involves symptomatic treatment [2][3] Group 3: Public Health Implications - The transmission characteristics of monkeypox, primarily through contact, suggest that its infectiousness is lower than respiratory viruses like COVID-19, but public health measures remain crucial [5][6] - The ongoing threat of infectious diseases underscores the need for robust clinical research and effective public health strategies to combat both traditional and emerging infectious diseases [6][7]