On Wednesday, the Department of Disease Control announced a European tourist is the latest case of Mpox (monkey pox), which the World Health Organisation has declared a global public health emergency.

According to Dr. Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the chairman of the Department of Disease Control, the European patient came to Thailand from Africa.

He stated that laboratory testing are underway to confirm the strain, and that DDC officials believe it is Clade 1 not Clade 2 strain, and that the infected tourists have been quarantined in hospital. He did not specify which hospital or city.

Meanhwhile, Dr. Yong Poovorawan, Thailand’s foremost virologist, emphasised yesterday the critical necessity for close surveillance in Thailand over the ‘Clade 2b’ strain of Mpox (monkeypox). He stated that the ‘Clade 2b’ type of Mpox is a severe worry and must be properly monitored to prevent it from entering Thailand.

Mpox Clade 2b more dangerous

He stressed preventive measures, particularly among children, and noted that the vaccine is quite expensive, and that a study into whether the vaccination dosage may be reduced without affecting efficiency should be conducted as soon possible.

Mpox Claude 2 (monkeypox) cases and deaths are increasing across Africa, with outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The disease, which is caused by a virus transmitted by infected animals but spreads from person to person via close physical contact, causes fever, muscle pains, and big boil-like skin sores.

Although mpox has been around for a long time, a new strain called Clade 1b has recently emerged and is far more dangerous and easily spread.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the fatal effects of Clade 1b, according to the World Health Organisation.

Originally identified in 1958 in monkeys housed for scientific purposes in Denmark, the virus was formerly known as monkeypox. This year, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has had over 16,000 cases and 500 fatalities, according to the World Health Organisation.