Thailand confirms first case of monkeypox in the country
Thailand has announced its first confirmed case of the new mpox (monkeypox) strain, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent. According to the country’s Department of Disease Control, the infected individual, a 66-year-old European, arrived in Bangkok from an unnamed African country on August 14.
Symptoms appeared the very next day after his arrival, and he immediately went to the hospital, where doctors confirmed that he had contracted mpox, specifically the strain known as Clade 1b, the publication reports, noting that this is the first recorded case in Asia.
At least 450 people have died from mpox during the outbreak that began last year in Congo. Sweden became the first place outside the African continent to confirm a case of Clade 1b a week ago. The infected man had also previously visited an unnamed African country.
The news of the first person infected in Sweden came just hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. This declaration was made due to the epidemic in Africa, which has been ongoing since September 2023. The continent has recorded 13.7 thousand cases, with 456 deaths.
This is the second significant mpox outbreak in Africa, following a previous one in 2022, which the WHO also classified as a public health emergency of international concern. However, that earlier outbreak involved a less dangerous strain compared to the current one.
Mpox is a viral illness characterized by painful rashes and flu-like symptoms. The virus belongs to the same family as the smallpox virus and can spread from person to person as well as from animals to humans. In May 2024, scientists identified a new strain of the virus in Congo with an enhanced ability to spread more quickly.
As it was previously announced, the government of Kazakhstan and the Kingdom of Thailand has approved a permanent visa-free regime. Now, Kazakh citizens can travel to Thailand without a visa and stay there for 30 days. For a longer stay, a visa will be required.
