Thailand Reports Asia’s First Confirmed Case of New Mpox Strain

In a significant development for public health in Asia, Thailand has confirmed the continent's first known case of a more virulent and lethal strain of the mpox virus. The announcement, made by the Department of Disease Control on Thursday, has put health authorities on high alert and underscores the importance of global vigilance against emerging infectious diseases.

The case involves a 66-year-old European patient who had recently traveled to Thailand from Africa. The individual was found to be infected with the Clade 1b strain of mpox, a variant that has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global public health emergency. This strain is particularly concerning due to its higher transmissibility through routine contact and a mortality rate of approximately 3.6 percent.

Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, stated that the patient, who arrived in Thailand on August 14, was "likely infected from an endemic country," although the specific nation was not disclosed. In response to this detection, Thai health authorities are closely monitoring 43 asymptomatic individuals who had close contact with the patient. These individuals will be under observation for a total of 21 days.

The Clade 1b strain has been responsible for a surge in mpox cases across several African nations since July, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. The WHO reports that these outbreaks have resulted in over 500 fatalities thus far. This case in Thailand marks only the second reported instance of the new variant outside of Africa, with the first confirmed in Sweden.

In light of this development, Thailand has implemented stringent measures for travelers arriving from 42 countries deemed to be at risk. These individuals are now required to register and undergo testing upon arrival in Thailand.

While the emergence of this more aggressive strain has raised concerns, the WHO has emphasized that the current situation differs significantly from the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization notes that there is already substantial knowledge about controlling mpox, which should aid in managing its spread.

It is worth noting that this new case is distinct from the previous mpox outbreak in 2022, which was associated with a milder variant known as Clade 2, endemic to West Africa. That outbreak primarily affected gay and bisexual men, resulting in approximately 140 deaths and 90,000 cases globally.

Thailand itself has recorded 800 cases of the Clade 2 variant since 2022 but had not encountered any instances of the more contagious Clade 1 or Clade 1b variants until now.

Mpox, a disease transmitted by infected animals but capable of human-to-human spread through close physical contact, manifests with symptoms including fever, muscular aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.

As health authorities worldwide continue to monitor the situation, this case serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by emerging and evolving infectious diseases in our interconnected world.