Asia witnesses its initial reported instance of the Mpox illness in Thailand.
Asia's first instance of monkeypox has been confirmed in Thailand, stemming from the African strain in circulation. Lab results have verified that a European individual has contracted the virus' sublineage 1b, as reported by Thailand's Disease Control Department on Thursday. The 66-year-old European visited Bangkok from Africa on August 14 and was hospitalized due to monkeypox symptoms.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will be updated on subsequent developments, the department noted. The patient is currently isolated in the hospital. Furthermore, 43 individuals who had close contact with the patient are being observed. "At present, they haven't exhibited any symptoms, but we must keep an eye on them for a full 21 days." As per Thai authorities, travelers from 42 "high-risk" countries are required to register and undergo testing upon arrival.
The incidence of monkeypox cases and fatalities is on the rise in Africa. Africa has seen outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July. The WHO has declared the current outbreak of the more virulent virus variant 1b a global health emergency of international concern and has encouraged vaccine manufacturers to ramp up production.
Symptoms may include fever, bodily aches, and skin lesions akin to smallpox. The disease was formerly named monkeypox. Until recently, instances of infection were predominantly linked to consumption of infected animal meat.
The Mpox disease, as previously known, has been identified as the cause of the European individual's infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation, given that the more virulent virus variant 1b is currently causing an outbreak in various African countries.
