Department of Disease Control
- Thailand News
Thailand steps up screening for mystery disease from Afghanistan
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health intensified its monitoring of travellers arriving from Afghanistan, aiming to curb the potential spread of a mysterious infectious disease. Local officials in Afghanistan reported at least 500 cases of the unidentified illness in the Kafshan Valley, Shinwari district of Parwan province, approximately 80 kilometres north of Kabul. The disease’s rapid transmission has resulted in critically…
- Bangkok News
Thailand recovers first mpox clade Ib patient, no further cases
Thailand has successfully managed its first confirmed case of the mpox (formerly monkeypox) clade Ib variant, with the patient fully recovered, public health officials announced yesterday. The 66 year old European male arrived in Bangkok on August 14 after travelling from Africa. The following day, he was admitted to a hospital, where laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the clade…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s new anti-smoking rule burns Thai vendors’ profits
Thailand is stepping up its fight against smoking with a hard-hitting new regulation that could hit vendors where it hurts—right in the wallet. Starting last Wednesday, August 21, retail sellers of cigarettes and tobacco are now required to display posters warning of the severe dangers of smoking, or they could be slapped with a fine of up to 5,000 baht.…
- Thailand News
Syphilis cases triple among Thai teens, fivefold increase in pregnant women
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported a significant increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Thai people, particularly syphilis. Cases of syphilis among teenagers have tripled compared to previous years and the number of pregnant women with syphilis has increased fivefold. DDC spokesperson Weerawat Manosutthi reported today, July 23, that the situation regarding STDs in Thailand worsened in the…
- Thailand News
Disease Control warns of mpox surge after Songkran festival
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control issued a warning about a significant rise in mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, cases following the Songkran festival, with the majority of cases reported in Bangkok. The Thai authorities are urging vigilance and advising the public to monitor for symptoms. Since the first detection in July 2022, Thailand has recorded a total of 787 mpox…
- Thailand News
Malaria on rise in Thailand: Tak province tackles ticklish trouble
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) reports a surge in malaria cases, notably in the Tak province, where the majority of the 2,913 infections have been identified since January. Other areas affected include Mae Hong Son, Kanchana Buri, Ranong, and Prachuap Khiri Khan, with 60% of the patients being foreigners, as per the department’s data. The DDC Chief, Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn,…
- Thailand News
Pandemic alert: 8,197 Thailand dengue cases reported in January
The Disease Control Department (DCD) issued a stark warning amid a surging wave of dengue fever cases, urging the public to shield themselves from mosquito bites. With a staggering tally of over 8,000 infected individuals and a count of 13 fatalities so far, the situation demands immediate attention. Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, the DCD Director-General, revealed alarming statistics, indicating a 91.25% surge…
- Thailand News
Half of new HIV infections in Thailand among 15-24 year olds
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) in Thailand has revealed that nearly half of the annual 9,000-plus new HIV infections are individuals aged between 15 and 24 years old. This trend has persisted for several years, according to Dr Suchada Jiamsiri, the head of the Division of Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) at the Ministry of Public Health’s DDC.…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s first Monkeypox-related death highlights rising infectious disease threat
A severe case of Monkeypox in Thailand, infecting a 34 year old man with HIV and syphilis, culminated in the country’s first fatal mishap related to this viral scourge. The unfortunate news dropped yesterday, courtesy of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC). Explicating the unfolding of events, the DDC’s Director-General Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong took note of the initial discomforts plaguing…
- Pattaya News
Dengue fever cases surge across 18 provinces in Thailand
Dengue fever cases are on the rise in Thailand, with the Department of Disease Control reporting an increase in 18 provinces including Chon Buri, Phuket, and Bangkok. A high-level digital meeting was conducted yesterday, overseen by Taret Krassanairawiwong, the Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. In this, they discussed the rising tide of dengue cases…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s DDC warns of monkeypox in LGBTQ community
News about monkeypox is circling in Thailand once more. Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has issued a warning regarding the potential rise in monkeypox cases, particularly within the LGBTQ community. The DDC has advised reducing close skin contact and limiting the number of sexual partners to prevent the disease from spreading, Bangkok Post reported. Jakkarat Pittayawong-anont, the director of…
- Thailand News
Covid-19 cases surge 39% in a week, public urged to take precautions
The Department of Disease Control issued a public warning yesterday, alerting citizens to the resurgence of Covid-19 and urging them to take necessary precautions to protect themselves. The director-general, Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, revealed that there were 2,356 Covid inpatients last week, marking a 39% increase from the previous week. Additionally, the number of patients suffering from lung inflammation and requiring…
- Covid-19 News
Chinese tourists won’t trigger increase in Covid-19 cases
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reckons the influx of Chinese tourists will not trigger an increase in Covid-19 cases in Thailand but added the department will evaluate the status of coronavirus infections in two weeks’ time. DDC Director-General Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong revealed yesterday that the average daily number of cases is 900, and the number of Covid patients in…
- Tourism News
Covid-19 screening not necessary for China arrivals
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) met on Saturday to assess the Covid-19 situation in China and the border reopening on January 8. Covid-19 screening tests for arrivals from China might not be necessary for the time being although vaccination documents will be checked Tares Krassanairawiwong, DDC director-general, said nearly five million visitors from China are expected this year while…
- World News
Thai DCD: you probably won’t die of a brain eating amoeba
The Disease Control Department (DCD) in Thailand is reassuring people that the chances of dying from a brain-eating amoeba are very, very small. The statement comes after news got out that a man returned to South Korea from a trip to Thailand and died of Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba. The DCD director-general reported that only 17 infections have been…
- Northern Thailand News
Resurgence of AIDS in Thailand overshadows UNAIDS summit
News of the resurgence of AIDS in Thailand, blamed on the proliferation of dating apps, has dismayed many. Historically, Thailand has one of the best records of all countries in the region in caring for people living with AIDS. The government is now setting out to eradicate AIDS in Thailand by 2030, according to deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul on…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 infections up 12.8% last week
Despite everyone in Thailand – and the rest of the world – being bored of it, Covid-19 is still here. Last week, new Covid infections in Thailand rose 12.8%. The greatest leaps were seen in tourist areas and Bangkok. In the last week, an average of six people per day died of the coronavirus, while 3,166 people were admitted to…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 vaccines for 18 million vulnerable people
The National Vaccine Committee is to provide Covid-19 vaccines to 18 million vulnerable people next year, including medical staff and health volunteers. The government has provided 143 million vaccine shots in the past two years, saving an estimated 500,000 lives. COVID-19 infections appear to be on the rise again, especially among those who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, while…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand finds 3 new subvariants, 4th in Hong Kong from Thai travellers
Three new Covid-19 subvariants have been found within Thailand’s borders according to Thai scientists. The global scientific community believes that the subvariants in the group found in the kingdom will become the dominant strains of Covid within the next few months. A separate strain, XBB, was found in three passengers from Thailand in Hong Kong, despite the variant not being…
- Phuket News
9th and 10th monkeypox infections found in Phuket
A German man and a Thai woman have become the 9th and 10th confirmed cases of monkeypox in Thailand. The two were identified this week in Phuket and are now receiving treatment at a public hospital there. The Department of Disease Control has released details about the two new infections. Public health officials are already investigating and have traced a…
- Thailand News
DDC declares no tomato flu outbreak in Thailand
Director-General of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) yesterday announced it is closely watching the ‘tomato flu’ situation after reports were made that about 100 cases have emerged in India. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, Director-General of the DDC, declared no cases have been reported in Thailand as yet after an outbreak emerged in the Kollam district of Kerala on May 6,…
- Thailand News
Thailand records its seventh monkeypox case
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control announced yesterday the nation has its seventh monkeypox victim. A 37 year old Thai woman in Bangkok became the kingdom’s latest victim hot on the heels of the country’s sixth case last week. DDC Director General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute reported on Saturday that a woman had tested positive for…
- Thailand News
Dengue fever cases in Thailand nearly double in past month
Taking extra measures to prevent mosquito bites is advised in Thailand, especially when cases of dengue fever have nearly doubled in the past month. Health authorities have voiced concerns about the threat of dengue fever this monsoon season. On July 11, Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) recorded 9,473 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year. By…
- Covid-19 News
Authorities warn: Don’t self-prescribe Covid drugs like Molnupiravir
New warnings are being issued about self-medicating or misusing Covid-19 drugs like Molnupiravir and the negative effects that could result from it. Department of Disease Control Director-General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong is warning that people who do not need treatment taking antiviral drugs may create drug resistance in their body, making it ineffective against future infections. Meanwhile, director of King Chulalongkorn…
- Phuket News
UPDATE: Health officials test 19 for monkeypox after contact with fugitive
UPDATE: All 19 people who had close contact with Thailand’s first ever recorded monkeypox case have all tested negative for the monkeypox virus. All 19 people will isolate for a total of 21 days and will then be tested again to confirm they have not contracted the virus. The 27 year old Nigerian national travelled to Thailand eight months ago…
- Phuket News
Health officials test 19 for monkeypox after contact with fugitive
After a Nigerian man fled Thailand upon being diagnosed with monkeypox and was subsequently captured in Cambodia, authorities have been tracking down anyone in contact with him to test them for the disease. Health officials have identified 19 high-risk people who came in close contact with the man and have now tested all of them for monkeypox. Results are still…
- World News
Nigerian monkeypox fugitive arrested in Cambodia
The first monkeypox case in Thailand has now become the first monkeypox case in Cambodia. A Nigerian man on the run after disappearing on Tuesday when diagnosed with monkeypox in Phuket has been apprehended in Cambodia. The deputy governor of Phnom Penh confirmed that 27 year old Osmond Chihazirim Nzere was arrested yesterday in the Cambodian capital city. The man…
- Covid-19 News
Study: vaccines prevented nearly half a million deaths in Thailand
Since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, 31,031 people have died in Thailand from the virus, but a research team suggest that it could have been much worse without vaccines. The team from Mahidol University suggested that, without a vaccination programme in place, Thailand would likely have seen another 490,000 deaths. The MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis compile…
- Covid-19 News
Rise in holiday travel matches rise in severe Covid infections
The 5-day holiday weekend is driving up tourism numbers, but there also seems to be a rise in patients with severe Covid-19 infections that the Department of Disease Control says will likely increase from holiday travel. This warning came from the epidemiology director of the DDC, who laid out increases in severe coronavirus infections as well as those who require…
- Thailand News
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…
