Thailand reported a case of the highly transmissible Clade 1b strain of Mpox this week amid growing concerns about a global outbreak. The case — the first to be reported from Asia — comes mere days after Sweden reported the first such case outside Africa.
“The test results confirm that he is infected with the Clade 1b strain of monkeypox, which is the first case diagnosed in Thailand, but this man is likely infected from an endemic country,” officials told Reuters.
The infected individual is a 66-year-old European man who arrived in Thailand last week from an unspecified African country where the disease was spreading.
The World Health Organisation declared the Mpox surge a public health emergency of international concern earlier this month (its highest alert level) as cases soared in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now the virus has crossed from its epicentre in the Democratic Republic of Congo to other African nations and was detected this week for the first time in Sweden and Pakistan.
The highly transmissible Clade 1b strain of the virus has killed hundreds of people in the country and recently crossed from its epicentre into other African nations. Cases belonging to the ‘regular’ strain of the virus were also detected in Pakistan and the Philippines recently.
(With inputs from agencies)
Rohit Malhotra is a medical expert and health journalist who offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being. His articles aim to help readers lead healthier lives.
