The News
Thailand confirmed Asia’s first case of the new, more deadly mpox strain after a European male patient who arrived in Bangkok from Africa tested positive for the mutated variant clade Ib.
The Southeast Asian country’s health ministry said it would report the result to the World Health Organization, and that it was keeping close contacts of the patient under close surveillance.
The confirmation comes a week after the WHO declared mpox a “public health emergency” of international concern, citing its upsurge in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of Africa. Last week Sweden confirmed the first case of this mpox strain outside Africa.
The newer strain has a fatality rate of around 4% in adults and 10% in children. Africa’s top health body said countries could start vaccinating against the viral disease as early as next week.