Monkeypox is not as highly infectious as COVID-19 and a device to test it will be completed in two weeks, according to the head of the Center for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital.
Dr Wasun Chantratita, head of the Center for Medical Genomics at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital of Mahidol University, said monkeypox had not spread fast and it was being transmitted within clusters. Its outbreaks surprised the World Health Organization which had yet to find out why more than 100 people were infected with it in countries outside Africa where the disease was endemic. The outbreaks happened in European countries, the United States and Australia, he said.
Portugal and Belgium have completed the genome sequencing of the virus that causes monkeypox and the Center for Medical Genomics is using the data to develop a device for monkeypox tests. It would be completely developed in two weeks. Based on the Massarray genotyping technique, the device would be capable of testing 100 samples a day, Dr Wasun said.
There were a vaccine and antiviral drug for the disease but they might have to be reproduced because the country did not stock them, he said. (TNA)
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