More than 70 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, with confirmed cases passing 20,300 as of Thursday and likely still counting.

Within ASEAN, Thailand confirmed its first cases two weeks ago, Singapore has confirmed 10 cases just last week and the Philippines announced the first infection on Friday.

The Health Ministry recently announced that nine suspected cases had been found in Jakarta, West Java, Central Java and West Kalimantan. They have all tested negative, but it does not mean we are immune. In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic more than two years ago, our health authorities claimed we could contain the virus due to our tropical weather, but they proved to have misled us.

Monkeypox is at our doorstep -- if not here already. The government should raise public awareness and readiness because the sooner we get prepared the greater our chance to mitigate the spread of the disease. Call for caution is one thing; fear mongering is another.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that monkeypox is an outbreak that can be stopped if countries, communities and individuals inform themselves, take the risks seriously and take the steps needed to stop transmission and protect vulnerable groups.

We agree with health experts who have warned the government against repeating the mistakes we committed when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The government should take into account every message of precaution that health experts have recommended.

What the government can do is to help health workers get up to speed, ready for the additional caseload that might come and provide them with ample supply of vaccines, testing kits and medicines.

As to the general public, we must get them clear and honest information about the disease and how it spreads. This is not an area the government should cover up.

We have seen how playing down a serious global outbreak -- and even worse, letting misinformation circulate and infect people’s minds – has worked against us.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that spreads via direct contact with infectious skin or lesions, including face-to-face, skin-to-skin and respiratory droplets. The disease does not differentiate creeds, identities or sexual orientation.

Available data suggest that the current outbreak of the virus has primarily spread through a network of men who have sex with men. WHO reported that out of the 5,500 cases who reported their sexuality, more than 95 percent identified themselves as gay, bisexual or as other men who have sex with men.

Nevertheless, the government and the public should not let the prevailing homophobia derail our efforts to contain the spread of monkeypox.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, dengue fever is on the rise and now monkeypox is creeping closer. We made it through the devastating second, Delta variant-spurred wave of coronavirus outbreak, but it does not mean the dust has settled.

The monkeypox outbreak is no light business; it shows the health crisis continues to persist.