Thailand has reported the first confirmed case of a new, potentially deadly strain of Mpox outside of Africa. The country’s Department of Disease Control announced that a 66-year-old European man who arrived in Bangkok on August 14 from an unspecified African nation began showing symptoms the following day and was promptly hospitalized. His diagnosis revealed that he was infected with Mpox, specifically the Clade 1b strain.
This outbreak of Mpox first emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year and has resulted in at least 450 fatalities. The virus has since spread to several neighboring countries that previously had no known cases, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
A concerning strain of Mpox, known as Clade 1b, has recently been identified in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and is crossing borders into nearby countries. Just a week earlier, Sweden reported its first case of Clade 1b outside Africa, involving an individual who had also traveled to an unspecified African nation.
The case in Thailand marks the first verified instance of Clade 1b in Asia. While Mpox is not as contagious as viruses such as Covid-19 or measles, it can be transmitted through close physical contact, including sexual activity and close conversations.
Scientists express concerns regarding the spread of this new variant, especially given its high mortality rate in certain African regions. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled it a public health emergency of international concern.
Vaccines for Mpox are generally limited to individuals at high risk or those who have been in close contact with infected people. However, outbreaks can be curbed through increased awareness, monitoring of close contacts, and preventive measures. Although vaccine supplies are low in Africa, millions of doses are expected to arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo soon.
In Thailand, health officials have identified about 43 individuals who traveled near the infected man or interacted with him after his arrival. These individuals will be monitored for a period of 21 days. Additionally, travelers arriving from 42 “risk countries” are required to undergo testing.
Mpox typically presents with skin lesions and flu-like symptoms. While the disease is usually mild for most, it can be fatal, with an estimated 4% fatality rate for the new strain currently spreading in central Africa. The tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa are common locations for Mpox, with thousands of cases reported annually.
In 2022, a much milder strain known as Clade 2 triggered a global public health emergency, and that strain continues to circulate in several countries.