A severe strain of monkeypox, currently spreading rapidly in Africa, has been identified in Thailand for the first time. The infected individual is a foreign national who travelled from Africa.
Acting Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirmed on August 22 that the first case of monkeypox in Thailand involves a European man who travelled from an African country. This case is associated with the clade 1b strain.
To date, none of the 43 individuals deemed at risk from close contact with the infected person have displayed symptoms. They are being monitored by public health authorities and do not require a 21-day quarantine.
On August 21, Dr. Thongchai Keeratihatthayakorn, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, addressed the media to discuss this monkeypox case, identified as Clade I.
He revealed that the patient is a 66-year-old European man who travelled from an African nation currently experiencing a monkeypox outbreak of the Clade I variety.
Dr. Thongchai explained, “It was a connecting flight, not a direct flight. The patient had very little contact with others because he arrived in Thailand at 6pm on August 14 and went straight to his accommodation.”
“Then, on the morning of August 15, symptoms began to appear with blisters, so he went to the hospital immediately,” said Dr. Thongchai.
Initial tests for Clade IIb were negative, and subsequent tests for Clade Ib were inconclusive. Further thorough testing was then conducted to confirm the diagnosis definitively.
“Disease control, prevention, and information awareness are crucial. We don’t want people to panic and self-diagnose. That is why we are holding a press conference today,” said Dr. Thongchai.
He noted that the pathogen has various strains, with Clade IIb being prevalent in Thailand during the previous year, with around 800 cases in 2022 and 140 in 2023.
Of these, approximately 10 fatalities in Thailand involved individuals co-infected with HIV.
According to the WHO’s surveillance recommendations, Clade I of the virus does not transmit as readily as COVID-19, requiring very intimate contact for spread, such as through sexual intercourse.
Following the WHO’s enhanced surveillance directives, the Disease Control Department of the Ministry of Public Health has rigorously implemented stringent control measures at all national entry points.
The WHO has expressed particular concern over the escalating number of cases in Africa, noting a troubling rise in infections among children.
This trend suggests that the virus could be spreading more easily through means like saliva droplets, whereas traditionally, transmission has predominantly occurred through close physical contact, especially sexual interactions.
“In Thailand, we have tightened controls for travellers entering the country and increased vigilance and public awareness, especially among foreign tourists and sex workers,” said Dr. Thongchai.
“They need to be more careful and watch out for symptoms such as unusual rashes or lesions on the body,” he added.
Symptoms to look out for include pustules, fever, and headaches. Affected individuals should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare providers about their exposure risks.
Tests will be conducted for monkeypox, and positive samples will be forwarded to the Department of Medical Sciences for strain identification and further monitoring.
The monkeypox virus is categorized into three primary strains: Clade I, clade IIa, and clade IIb.
The sub-strain C.1, within clade II, is less severe, unlike Clade I, which has a mortality rate of up to 10% in Africa, compared to less than 1% for clade II strains in individuals with normal immune systems.
