A PROMINENT virologist warned today (Aug. 2) that Thailand has the highest number of mpox cases in Southeast Asia, totalling 120, and urged the public to be vigilant of the disease, Naewna newspaper said.
Dr. Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, mentioned that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has changed the name of this disease from monkeypox to mpox in an attempt to halt discrimination and stigma.
Worldwide there are currently a total of 90,000 mpox cases with most occurring in the US.
Latest data shows not only is Thailand’s total of 120 mpox cases the highest in Southeast Asia, there has been a spike this year particularly in June.
Dr. Yong explained that this disease is not severe thus the mortality rate is relatively low with it mostly occurring among those with low immunity or co-infected with HIV.
This disease will not go away in future because it is contracted through touching and sex especially among special groups. Therefore there are continuing outbreaks in countries with fewer resources to control it.
Thailand’s total of over a hundred cases is not small and sporadic cases continue to crop up.
However people are less aware of the risk of catching this disease than when it first emerged in the country and it is necessary to educate the public, especially risk groups, to reduce outbreaks, he added.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Colourised transmission electron micrograph of mpox virus particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID/ Flickr and published by North Carolina Health News
Insert: Dr Yong Poovorawan. Photo: INN News
Front Page: A graphic image of mpox published by North Edinburgh News
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