KUALA LUMPUR – Thailand has reported its first case of the severe strain of mpox with the patient being a foreign national who recently travelled in Africa.
Acting Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirmed that the case involves a European man who arrived in Thailand from an African country. The man was diagnosed with the Clade Ib strain of the virus, according to Khaosod English.
So far, none of the 43 individuals in close contact with the patient have shown any signs of infection. They are under observation by public health authorities, but no quarantine has been deemed necessary.
On August 21, Department of Disease Control director-general Dr Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, held a press conference regarding the case. He revealed that the patient, a 66-year-old European, had travelled from an African country and is experiencing an infection of the Clade I strain.
“It was a connecting flight, not a direct flight. The patient had very little contact with others because he arrived in Thailand at about 6pm on August 14 and went straight to his accommodation.
“Then, on the morning of August 15, symptoms began to appear with blisters, so he went to the hospital immediately,” Thongchai said
Initial tests for Clade IIb were negative, leading to further testing for Clade Ib, which initially yielded inconclusive results. A detailed examination was then conducted to confirm the diagnosis.
“Disease control prevention and information awareness are crucial. We don’t want people to panic and self-diagnose. That is why we are holding a press conference today,” said Thongchai.
He also noted that various strains of the pathogen have been identified, with Clade IIb detected in Thailand in 2022, resulting in approximately 800 cases that year and around 140 cases in 2023.
The 10 fatalities reported were all among individuals co-infected with HIV.
According to AFP, mpox cases and deaths have been on the rise in Africa, with outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency over the new mpox variant, urging vaccine manufacturers to increase production.
Mpox, caused by a virus transmitted from infected animals and through close human-to-human contact, leads to symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large skin lesions resembling boils.
While mpox has been recognised for decades, the recent surge in cases is attributed to the emergence of the deadlier and more transmissible Clade Ib strain.
According to WHO data, Clade Ib has a fatality rate of approximately 3.6%, with children being particularly vulnerable.
Thongchai emphasised that mpox is less likely to spread rapidly compared to Covid-19 due to the close contact required for transmission. – August 22, 2024