Thai health authorities are investigating a new case of mpox in a 66-year-old European man who arrived from Africa last week, as they await test results to determine the specific strain of the virus. The man, who has residency in Thailand, landed in the country on August 14 and sought medical attention the following day, according to Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the Department of Disease Control.
Authorities are treating the case with caution, assuming it could be the more severe Clade 1 form of mpox, given the man’s recent travel from an African country where the strain is actively spreading. The test results to confirm the strain are expected by Friday.
“We are monitoring 43 individuals who may have come into contact with the patient,” Thongchai said, adding that the man had also transited through a Middle Eastern country before arriving in Thailand.
Thailand has previously detected 800 cases of the Clade 2 variant of mpox since 2022, but this is the first potential case of the Clade 1 or Clade 1b variants. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any further spread.
