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An alarming new chapter in the mpox outbreak was initiated in Thailand on Thursday, as health officials confirmed the region’s inaugural case of a particularly virulent strain, linked to a traveler from Africa.
The individual, who arrived in Bangkok on August 14, was swiftly admitted to a local hospital after exhibiting telltale signs of mpox, setting off a chain reaction of events that would ultimately lead to the confirmation of Asia’s first case of the deadlier strain.
In a definitive diagnosis, the Department of Disease Control revealed that laboratory tests had identified the 66-year-old European patient as being infected with mpox Clade 1b, a strain notorious for its heightened virulence.
“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, 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.”
Read also: Abia State Confirms Nine Cases Of Monkeypox Disease
As a precautionary measure, the Department of Disease Control has implemented a stringent protocol, requiring travelers from 42 designated “risk countries” to register and undergo mandatory testing upon arrival in Thailand, in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
Africa is grappling with a mounting mpox crisis, as a flurry of outbreaks has struck the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July, resulting in a worrying surge in cases and deaths that demands urgent attention.
The World Health Organization has declared a global public health emergency over the new variant of mpox, urging manufacturers to ramp up production of vaccines.
Mpox, a zoonotic disease transmitted through contact with infected animals and human-to-human contact, manifests with a constellation of symptoms including fever, debilitating muscle pain, and characteristic boil-like skin lesions, posing a significant threat to public health.
The rise of Clade 1b, a more lethal and contagious mpox strain, has dramatically altered the epidemiological landscape, driving the recent case spike and prompting concerns about the virus’s evolving nature and potential for widespread dissemination.
According to the WHO, the Clade 1b strain of mpox poses a significant threat to human life, with a case fatality rate of around 3.6%, and a disturbingly higher risk of death among children, who are more susceptible to the virus’s deadly consequences.
The head of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, pointed out a critical difference between mpox and Covid-19, namely that the former’s spread is hindered by the need for close contact, making it less likely to spread rapidly.
