National —
On August 21st, 2024, Dr. Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, announced Thailand’s first suspected case of Clade 1B monkeypox. However, he emphasized that this is not a confirmed case yet, but rather a strong suspicion.
Update 8 PM August 22nd: Acting Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin has confirmed that the patient has 1B but has again stressed for calm and that this is not another Covid or spread as easily.
The patient, a 66-year-old European man, arrived in Thailand on August 14th after traveling from a country in Africa where Clade 1B monkeypox is prevalent.
On August 15th, the European patient developed a fever and mild rashes, prompting him to visit a hospital. Initial tests for Clade 2 monkeypox were negative, while the results for Clade 1B were inconclusive. Further genetic testing confirmed the presence of monkeypox, but the specific strain is still unclear, said Dr. Thongchai.
Dr. Thongchai further stated that the results should be confirmed by August 23rd. If verified, this would be Thailand’s first case of Clade 1B monkeypox. Thai authorities are also tracking 43 passengers who were in close contact with the patient on the flight, monitoring them for 21 days.
Thailand has seen around 140 cases of Clade 2 monkeypox in 2024, with over 800 cases since 2022. The World Health Organization has classified Clade 1B as a strain of concern due to its higher severity and mortality rate, particularly affecting children and the elderly in Central and East Africa. Meanwhile, Clade 2, which is less severe, continues to spread globally, including in Thailand, according to Dr. Thongchai.
Thai officials have stressed, however, that this isn’t “a new Covid” and that although people should be aware there is no need for panic and no call for any mandatory health restrictions or measures at this time, but that people should take individual preventive measures based on their own self-risk assessments.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
