Emergency centre set up in Thailand to cope with monkeypox

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Department of Disease Control has set up an emergency operations centre (EOC) to cope with monkeypox as officials concerned are screening arrivals from the countries where the disease is spreading, reported Thai news agency (TNA).

Its Director, Dr. Chakkarat Pitayawong-anon, said the disease was spreading in many countries, therefore Thailand had to raise its surveillance as there is no specific cure for the disease which could be transmitted among humans.

Officials at airports were carefully screening arrivals from high-risk countries including Nigeria, Congo, England, Spain and Portugal, and especially looking for those with rashes, he said.

The Thai government is also sharing the health advice via a QR code to its people and recommending arrivals from the affected countries to immediately see a local doctor and report their countries of origin if they had a fever or rashes, Chakkarat added. – Bernama