Thailand has reported its first confirmed case of a novel, potentially deadly strain of Mpox outside of Africa. The country’s Department of Disease Control announced that a 66-year-old European male, who had recently traveled to Bangkok from an unspecified African nation, began exhibiting symptoms of the infection on August 15.
After quickly seeking medical attention, he was diagnosed with Mpox, specifically the Clade 1b strain. This outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last year, has already resulted in at least 450 fatalities. Since then, the virus has spread to several nearby countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
A new strain of Mpox, known as Clade 1b, has recently been identified in the eastern DRC and is now crossing borders. Just a week prior, Sweden confirmed its first case of Clade 1b outside of Africa, involving an individual who had also traveled from an unidentified African nation.
The recent case in Thailand marks the first verified instance of Clade 1b in Asia. While Mpox is not as easily transmitted as viruses like COVID-19 or measles, it can spread through intimate contact, including sexual activity and close personal interactions.
Experts are alarmed by the new variant’s rapid spread and its high mortality rates in certain African regions. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern. Vaccines are typically limited to those considered at risk or who have had close contact with an infected person. However, increased awareness, monitoring of contacts, and infection prevention can help manage outbreaks.
Despite a vaccine shortage in Africa, millions of doses are expected to arrive in the DRC within the coming week. In Thailand, health officials have identified approximately 43 individuals who were seated near the infected man on his flight and those who interacted with him after his arrival. These individuals will be monitored for 21 days.
Travelers from 42 designated “risk countries” are required to undergo testing upon arrival in Thailand. Mpox symptoms include skin lesions and flu-like indicators. Although most cases are mild, the new strain has a higher fatality rate of approximately 4%. The tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa have been the primary sites of Mpox infection, where thousands of cases are reported annually.
In 2022, a less severe strain, referred to as Clade 2, led to a global public health emergency, and it continues to be present in several countries.