Thailand urges people to stop consuming bushmeat to help avoid monkeypox
Thailand is urging people to avoid the consumption of bushmeat and the import of animals from unidentified countries after the recent small outbreaks of monkeypox. The Department of Disease Control has acknowledged the danger posed by monkeypox but insist no cases of the disease have been detected in Thailand.
The Thai government instructed the Public Health Ministry to set up and a Public Health Crisis Command Centre as a precaution and says it will monitor travellers from the risk countries.
The World Health Organisation revealed around 80 cases of monkeypox have now been reported worldwide, and 50 cases from 11 countries that are not the main infection zone are under investigation. The first case was found in England by someone who had travelled to Nigeria at the end of April.
Thai media reported that monkeypox patients were found in 15 countries including England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, French, Germany, Sweden, the US, Canada, Austria, Israel, Netherlands, Switzerland and Greece.
The DDC director, Dr. Opas Kankawinpong, has explained to Thai media he is well aware of the monkeypox risk to Thailand after the recent relaxation of travelling measures but says the department is keeping a close eye on the people arriving from those countries most at risk. Between May 1 and 22, 13,142 travellers arrived from England, 1,352 from Spain, and 268 from Portugal.
The director of the Thai Institute of Dermatology, Mingkwan Wichaidit, revealed that monkeypox symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headaches, and lymphadenitis within the first3 days. A rash to the face follows and spreads to other parts of the body. The rash develops into blisters and then it will crust between 14 – 21 days. Mingkwan says the symptoms last between 2 and 4 weeks.
The director urged residents to wash their hands with soap and alcohol frequently throughout the day. He also pressed people to avoid touching wildlife animals, the consumption of bushmeat and the import of animals from unidentified countries.
SOURCE: Khaosod
