Thailand Reports Mpox Case in European Traveler from Africa

Wednesday 21 August 2024 - 12:30

Thailand has confirmed an mpox case in a 66-year-old European man who arrived from Africa last week. Health officials are currently conducting tests to identify the specific strain of the virus.

Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the head of Thailand's Department of Disease Control, announced on Wednesday that the patient landed in Thailand on August 14. The African country of origin has not been disclosed. The case is being treated with particular caution due to the possibility that it involves the Clade 1 variant of mpox, which has raised global concerns due to its higher transmissibility.

The patient is currently in quarantine at a hospital as further tests are conducted to confirm the strain. Thongchai noted that the man had transited through an unnamed Middle Eastern country before arriving in Thailand.

Thailand has previously reported 800 cases of mpox Clade 2 since 2022 but has not yet encountered Clade 1 or Clade 1b variants.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled mpox as a global public health emergency but emphasized that it does not pose the same level of risk as COVID-19, given the existing knowledge about the virus and control measures.

Mpox, which causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large, boil-like skin lesions, has recently seen a surge in cases due to the more virulent Clade 1b strain. Recent outbreaks have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) has issued an appeal for $18.5 million to support healthcare efforts in Africa. IOM Director General Amy Pope stressed the importance of swift action to protect vulnerable populations and mitigate the outbreak's impact.

In related news, Argentina's health authorities have quarantined a cargo ship on the Parana River following a suspected mpox case involving an Indian crew member. The individual displayed cyst-like lesions primarily on his chest and face and is now in isolation.

In the Philippines, health officials have identified a recent mpox case as the milder Clade 2 variant. Clade 1b, which has a fatality rate of approximately 3.6 percent, poses a higher risk, especially to children.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first identified in 1958 in Denmark among monkeys kept for research purposes.