Thailand confirms Asia's first case of dangerous Mpox virus

Mpox virus. Credit: AP

Thailand has confirmed its first case of a new deadlier Mpox strain - the second confirmed case of the variant outside of Africa.

The Department of Disease Control said that the clade 1b strain of Mpox was confirmed in a patient who had travelled to the country from an unnamed African country.

It said in a statement: "The Department of Disease Control revealed the test results from the Department of Science, confirming the discovery of the clade Ib monkeypox strain in a European patient."

Anyone travelling to Thailand from 42 "risk countries" must register and undergo testing upon arrival and if any symptoms found resemble chickenpox you will require additional testing, the department added.

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Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, head of the Thai Department of Disease Control, added that Mpox was less likely to spread as quickly as Covid due to the close contact required to catch it.

Mpox - previously known as monkeypox - is a highly infectious disease most commonly found in west or central Africa.

The latest strain of the virus, clade 1b, has triggered global concern because it is more infectious and more deadly.

A case of the variant was confirmed last week in Sweden following a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.

The patient had also recently visited a part of Africa, Sweden's public health ministry said at the time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a global health emergency over the new variant.

Experts around the world are monitoring the situation closely. For now, the current risk to the UK is thought to be low.

WHO said the spread of the deadlier strain of the virus could be controlled and “was not the new Covid.”

The new strain emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but cases were soon identified in neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, all of which were previously unaffected by Mpox.

Around 1,400 Mpox infections have been reported across Africa over the past week, bringing the total number of cases on the continent to nearly 19,000 since the start of the year – up more than 100% on the same period last year, according to the Africa CDC. The latest outbreak has killed more than 500 people, the agency’s latest available data shows.

A young girl suffering from mpox waits for treatment at a clinic in Congo. Credit: AP

What is Mpox and how does it spread?

Mpox is an infection that can cause symptoms like a high temperature, a rash, and muscle aches.

It is caused by the Mpox virus and can be spread from person to person through close contact.

This includes:

  • touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the Mpox rash

  • touching Mpox skin blisters or scabs

  • through the coughs or sneezes of a person with a Mpox rash

What are the symptoms?

It usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptoms of the infection to appear.

According to the NHS website, the first symptoms of Mpox include:

  • a high temperature

  • a headache

  • muscle aches

  • backache

  • swollen glands

  • shivering (chills)

  • exhaustion

  • joint pain

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