Suspected monkeypox infections in Thailand turn out negative

Thailand’s DDC has announced that the country still has no confirmed cases of monkeypox as of Friday. Six suspected infections in the country ended up with negative lab test results on the same day. Even though there are no confirmed cases, a DDC spokesperson said health officials are now monitoring arrivals from countries where monkeypox has been detected.

The latest report by Our World In Data says there are now 919 monkeypox cases across the globe. The DDC said the Public Health Ministry has measures in place to work with hospitals and clinics in Bangkok where those infected with monkeypox will be treated. The department says it is particularly on the lookout for cases from some African countries, the UK, Portugal, Spain, Canada and Germany.

GRAPH: ourworldindata.org/explorers/monkeypox

According to the DDC, the World Health Organisation has said that the spread of the virus cannot be completely controlled, and measures similar to those used to control Covid-19 must be implemented for monkeypox in the outbreak areas. However, the current monkeypox strain has a very low fatality rate (around 1%).

The United State’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday that there were 21 cases in the US. So far, none of the monkeypox cases in the US have been fatal, and all patients are in recovery or have recovered. The main risk factor in catching monkeypox is close skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkey pox sores. A person with monkeypox is contagious until all the sores have scabbed and new skin is formed.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post