Thailand has so far detected 7 cases of monkeypox. The Minister of Public Health said these reports reflect the effectiveness of a stringent screening system in place.
According to the Department of Disease Control (DDC), the latest monkeypox patient, a 37-year-old Thai woman in Bangkok, has no history of traveling to countries with an active outbreak or being in contact with rodents. She has however had intimate contact with a foreign man prior to her illness.
The department has identified 3 close contacts with the Thai female patient who are her senior relatives to whom she paid a visit. They are now asked to closely monitor their symptoms until 11 September, which would mark the end of the incubation period.
DDC Director General Opas Karnkawinpong said monkeypox is not easily transmitted or leads to severe illnesses. He recommends that everyone wear a face mask when they are close to other people, frequently wash their hands using soap and water or use hand sanitizer, and refrain from getting intimate with a stranger.
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said the DDC is following its protocol to conduct disease investigations with high-risk contacts, including the foreign man who has had sex with the latest patient.
He said reports of monkeypox cases reflect the effectiveness of the disease screening measures, as well as the alertness of the general public to get screened, once they exhibit suspicious symptoms.
The Minister of Public Health reassured the general public that monkeypox is not a scary disease, as transmissions are unlikely among those without risk behaviors. The disease is also curable with treatments.
On the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions, especially since the lifting of the quarantine requirement for unvaccinated travelers to Singapore, Mr. Anutin said Thailand still needs travelers to show their vaccination certificate. However, the measure can be relaxed further if the situation continues to improve. (NNT)
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