Thailand announced on Wednesday a probable first case of a new lethal variant of mpox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has termed a worldwide health crisis.
The affected person likely carrying the strain is a European visitor who traveled from Africa to Thailand, according to Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the Chief of Thailand's Disease Control Department.
The individual is currently isolated in a hospital while lab tests are being done to identify the strain, thought to be Clade 1.
Thongchai confirmed that the patient has mpox, but it's crucial to verify that it's not the Clade 2 variant. He showed certainty that the individual has the Clade 1 variant, but the final lab result is still two days away.
Over the past few months, mpox has seen a surge in Africa with outbreaks reported in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Mpox is a virus-caused disease that spreads from infected animals to humans through close physical contact, causing symptoms like fever, muscle pain, and large skin sores similar to boils.
Although mpox has been known for decades, a new and more lethal strain known as Clade 1b has recently caused a surge in mpox cases.
According to the WHO, the Clade 1b variant results in death in about 3.6% of cases, with children being more susceptible. The virus, previously named monkeypox, was first identified in 1958 within research monkeys in Denmark.
The Democratic Republic of Congo reported over 16,000 cases and 500 deaths from mpox this year alone.
On August 15, the first case of the Clade 1 variant was confirmed outside Africa in Sweden.
File photo for reference only
-- 2024-08-21
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar