As per reports, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) of the Public Health Ministry has stated that Thailand has become the first country in Asia to detect the new mutated strain of the Mpox virus.

• Department of Disease Control (DDC) issued the statement after one patient (who arrived in Bangkok last week from Africa) was confirmed positive for clade Ib variant.
• Authorities have identified 43 close contacts of the 66-year-old patient and have placed them under surveillance.
• DDC has stated that the close contacts will be monitored for any symptoms for 21 days and will be required to go to a hospital if they show symptoms with fever, rashes or swollen lymph nodes.
• Health Ministry has stated that the patient with illnesses and symptoms associated with Mpox was admitted to a hospital on 15 August, a day after his arrival in Bangkok. Laboratory tests have confirmed the variant as clade Ib, which the authorities will report to the WHO.