Thailand has reported its first confirmed case of a new and potentially deadly strain of Mpox outside Africa. The country’s Department of Disease Control revealed that a 66-year-old European man contracted the virus after arriving in Bangkok from an unidentified African nation on August 14.
The patient began exhibiting symptoms the following day and sought immediate medical attention. Tests confirmed that he was infected with the Clade 1b strain of Mpox. This outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year, has resulted in at least 450 fatalities and has spread to several neighboring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
A more concerning variant, Clade 1b, has recently been identified in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and is crossing borders into surrounding countries. Just a week prior, Sweden confirmed its first case of Clade 1b, with the individual also having traveled from an African nation.
This case in Thailand marks Asia’s first verification of the Clade 1b strain. Although Mpox is not as contagious as viruses like Covid-19 or measles, it can spread through close contact, including sexual activity and respiratory droplets.
The emergence of this variant, particularly its high mortality rates in parts of Africa, has raised alarms. The World Health Organization has categorized it as a public health emergency of international concern. While vaccines are mainly available for those at risk or in close contact with infected individuals, efforts to raise awareness, monitor contacts, and prevent infections are vital for controlling outbreaks.
Despite vaccine shortages in Africa, millions of doses are expected to arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo soon. In Thailand, health authorities have traced approximately 43 individuals who were seated near the infected man, and they will be monitored for 21 days. Additionally, travelers from 42 “risk countries” are required to undergo testing upon arrival in Thailand.
Mpox typically causes mild symptoms, including skin lesions and flu-like signs, but can be lethal. The fatality rate for the new Clade 1b strain is estimated at four percent, making it more deadly than earlier variants. The majority of Mpox cases occur in the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa, where thousands are reported annually.
In 2022, a less severe strain known as Clade 2 triggered a global public health emergency, and that strain continues to be present in multiple countries.