PRESS RELEASE:
Public health officials recently reported two new cases of monkeypox (mpox) in Chiang Mai province, while also expressing concern about a spike in dengue fever cases this year.
Songyot Khamchai, head of the communicable disease control unit at the Chiang Mai public health office, has reported that authorities found two confirmed mpox cases in the province. The first case was a 31-year-old man who contracted the virus while visiting Taiwan, but he is no longer at risk of spreading it since he had already passed the incubation period.
The second case is a 40-year-old guy who contracted mpox in another province and was in Chiang Mai when the symptoms appeared. The patient is currently quarantined in his hometown.
So far, 217 cases of mpox have been reported in Thailand, with 187 of them being Thai citizens. One death has been reported as due to mpox-related infections.
Meanwhile, provincial authorities are worried about the number of dengue fever cases that are rising drastically. Songyot said the province has reported around 5,000 cases this year, compared to just 1,000 for the entire year of 2022. The five districts in the city of Chiang Mai with the most cases are the capital district, as well as the districts of Mae Ai, Fang, Chai Prakan, and Mae Rim.
The head of the public health office stated that if the number of cases does not decrease by the end of this month, authorities may declare Chiang Mai’s capital district a dengue outbreak zone. This means that the area will require enforcement of the Communicable Diseases Act to prevent further infections and ensure the safety of citizens in the city.
The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.
