In a significant development, Thailand has reported its second case of the monkeypox (mpox) virus variant, clade 1b, outside the African continent. On August 22, health authorities confirmed that a 66-year-old European man, who recently arrived in Thailand from an unspecified African country, tested positive for the clade 1b strain.
Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of Thailand's Department of Disease Control, stated, \"The test results confirm that he is infected with the clade 1b strain of monkeypox, which is the first case diagnosed in Thailand. However, this man is likely infected from an endemic country.\" Through rigorous contact tracing, no additional local infections have been detected.
The clade 1b variant has raised global concerns due to its high transmissibility through routine close contact. Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, highlighted the risks, especially in settings like homes and hospitals where close contact is frequent.
This latest case follows a similar report from Sweden last week, which was linked to an outbreak in Africa, marking the variant's initial spread beyond the continent. Thailand, which has experienced 800 cases of mpox clade 2 since 2022, had not previously detected cases of clade 1 or 1b variants. The World Health Organization has since declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
The outbreak continues to impact vulnerable communities, particularly children, in Eastern and Southern Africa, with over 200 confirmed cases across five countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, according to UNICEF.
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Thailand confirms mpox case is clade 1b, second outside Africa
cgtn.com
