Public on alert for Mpox strain, two more cases
The Disease Control Department is closely monitoring the highly transmissible Mpox clade lb strain, after two new cases were reported in April and May, and it is strongly advising people to avoid risky behavior and intimate contact with strangers.
Dr. Montien Kanasawadse, the department’s director general said today that a total of 1,074 cases of Mpox and 16 fatalities have been reported in Thailand since the disease was first detected and two new cases of Mpox clade lb strain were diagnosed recently.
The first case is a Thai man who fell sick on April 22 after contracting Mpox clade lb in a casual sexual encounter with a stranger. The second case, also a Thai man, had intimate contact with several people in tourist destinations.
Eighteen clade lb cases have been diagnosed in Thailand to date, including six this year, after the disease was first detected in the country in 2024. No fatalities have been reported.
Dr. Montien also said that most of the infections are in men in the 25-40-year age group, among them were foreign gay tourists, adding that the Mpox clade lb strain has spreads easily.
People can protect themselves by avoiding intimate contact with strangers or those already infected, said Dr. Direk Khampaen, the deputy director general.
He offered a reassurance that the department has efficient surveillance systems and treatment facilities to deal with the disease.