The government says it will preemptively boost its monitoring of incoming travelers to prevent a spread of the monkeypox virus.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters said on Tuesday that although human-to-human transmission of the monkeypox virus is rare, the possibility of its inflow cannot be completely ruled out given the increase in overseas travel and the three-week incubation period of the virus.

The agency said inbound travelers from countries where monkeypox has been found are mandated to check their temperature and fill out a health survey.

It added that Korea already has an established monkeypox monitoring system from 2016, and is now reviewing expanding testing at health and environmental research institutes nationwide to prepare for a potential entry of the virus into the country.

Monkeypox is an endemic disease found in some countries of central and west Africa including Nigeria and Cameroon, but has recently spread to non-endemic states, sparking fresh concerns.

One-hundred-71 monkeypox cases and 86 suspected cases were reported in 18 countries, including the U.S., Australia and several European nations, this month alone.