On Thursday, Thailand reported Asia’s first known case of a new, more deadly strain of mpox in a patient who traveled from Africa. The 66-year-old European man arrived in Bangkok on August 14 and was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of mpox. The Department of Disease Control confirmed that laboratory tests identified the strain as mpox Clade 1b.
The department stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) would be notified of this finding. They have been monitoring 43 people who had close contact with the patient, none of whom have shown symptoms so far. The monitoring will continue for a total of 21 days.
Travelers from 42 “risk countries” are required to register and undergo testing upon arrival in Thailand, according to the department.
Mpox cases and deaths are increasing in Africa, with outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda since July. The WHO has declared a global public health emergency for this new variant and has urged vaccine manufacturers to increase production.
Mpox, caused by a virus transmitted by infected animals and spread through close human contact, leads to symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and large boil-like lesions. While mpox has been known for decades, the new Clade 1b strain is more deadly and transmissible, with a fatality rate of about 3.6%, particularly affecting children.
Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, head of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control, noted that mpox is less likely to spread rapidly compared to Covid-19 due to the close contact required for transmission.