THE country has confirmed Asia’s first known case of a new, deadlier strain of mpox in a patient who had travelled to the kingdom from Africa.
The patient landed in Bangkok on Aug 14 and was sent to hospital with mpox symptoms.
The Department of Disease Control said laboratory tests on the 66-year-old European confirmed he was infected with mpox Clade 1b.
“Thailand’s Department of Disease Control wishes to confirm the lab test result which shows mpox Clade 1b in a European patient,” the department said in a statement yesterday, adding that the World Health Organization (WHO) would be informed of the development.
“We have monitored 43 people who have been in close contact with the patient and so far they have shown no symptoms, but we must continue monitoring for a total of 21 days.”
Anyone travelling to Thailand from 42 “risk countries” must register and undergo testing on arrival, the department said.
Mpox cases and deaths have surged in Africa since July. The WHO has declared a global public health emergency over the new variant of mpox, urging manufacturers to ramp up production of vaccines. — AFP
