Thailand recently confirmed the first case in Asia of the new, more lethal variant of monkeypox (mpox), known as clade 1b. The patient, a 66-year-old European man, arrived in the country from Africa on August 14, 2024. After showing symptoms consistent with the disease, he was hospitalized, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection with this variant.

This case marks the second occurrence outside of Africa, with Sweden being the first non-African country to report a case of this variant the previous week. The World Health Organization (WHO) had already declared a global emergency due to the rapid spread of this variant, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it has caused more than half a thousand deaths.

Thai authorities have implemented strict control and surveillance measures, especially at borders, to prevent the spread of the disease in the region. Additionally, they have identified 43 people who were in close contact with the patient, none of whom have shown symptoms so far, though they will continue to be monitored for 21 days.

This development has generated considerable health concerns, as the clade 1b variant of mpox is significantly more contagious and deadly than previous versions of the virus.

Written by Alejandra Legarda