Thailand confirmes first monkeypox case

Thailand has confirmed its first case of monkeypox – a 27-year-old Nigerian who travelled from Nigeria to Phuket.

Disease Control Department director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the man had been ill for about a week and was admitted to a private hospital on the resort island.

“The patient, had symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and a rash, was later tested PCR-positive for monkeypox on Tuesday,” he said in a statement.

The National Disease Control Committee confirmed on Thursday that it is Thailand’s first case of monkeypox.

Dr Opas said health authorities had been instructed to step up surveillance to curb monkeypox spread.

Monkeypox, a rare viral disease, occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May in other regions outside the West and Central African countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday reconvened the Monkeypox Emergency Committee to assess the public health implications of the evolving multi-country outbreak, as global cases passed 14,000, with six countries reporting their first cases last week.

- Bernama