BANGKOK: A 22-year old Thai woman has tested positive for monkeypox, Thailand’s first monkeypox case in a woman.
To date, Thailand has reported four confirmed monkeypox cases.
Director-general of Disease Control Department Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the woman developed symptoms including fever and a rash on her body on July 29
He said the woman had visited night sports in Bangkok before she fell sick.
“The woman sought treatment at a hospital in Samut Prakan on Wednesday.
“The lab test results confirmed she was positive for monkeypox,” he said at a press conference today.
He added the patient is receiving treatment at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute.
Dr Opas instructed the health authorities to step up contact tracing.
Thailand reported its first monkeypox infection – a 27-year-old Nigerian in Phuket – on July 18. However, the man went on the run after being informed of the positive test result. He was later found in Phnom Penh and treated at a hospital.
On July 29, Thailand’s second monkeypox case – a 47-year-old Thai man in Bangkok – was detected, and he is recovering well.
On Aug 3, a 25-year-old German man who travelled to Phuket was the kingdom’s third monkeypox patient. –Bernama