August 23rd 2024.
Thailand has recently announced its first recorded case of the highly infectious clade 1b strain of mpox. This is only the second time that this particular strain has been found outside of Africa, with Sweden reporting its first case just last week. The infected individual is a 66-year-old man from Europe who arrived in Thailand on August 14th after traveling from an unspecified African country, as reported by the Thailand Department of Disease Control.
The man was admitted to the hospital the following day after showing symptoms of illness and a fever consistent with mpox. Prior to his arrival in Thailand, he had been in close contact with 43 people, according to the department. This news comes just days after the World Health Organization declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, the highest level of alarm under international health law. This follows a similar declaration made by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.
The deadlier strain of the virus, clade Ib, is currently spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has already reached four previously unaffected countries in Africa. The Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed great concern about the possibility of the virus spreading even further, stating that the current outbreak is an "extraordinary event." Dimie Ogoina, chair of the WHO's emergency committee, also added that the situation in Africa may be even more dire than currently recognized.
Experts around the world are closely monitoring the situation as it unfolds. For those who may be unfamiliar with mpox, it is a viral disease related to the now-eradicated smallpox virus. The disease can be spread through close contact such as touching, kissing, or sexual contact, as well as through contaminated materials like clothing, sheets, and needles.
Initial symptoms of mpox are similar to those of the flu, including fever, chills, exhaustion, headache, and muscle weakness. This is often followed by a painful or itchy rash with raised lesions that scab over and resolve over the course of several weeks. However, what sets this current outbreak apart is that it is primarily being driven by clade I of the virus, which is known to cause more severe illness.
Clade I is a genetic grouping of the virus that has evolved over time and has distinct genetic and clinical differences from other strains. The subtype responsible for most of the current spread, clade Ib, is relatively new and has emerged as a result of various factors. According to Dr. Daniel Bausch of the global nonprofit FIND, once a mutation adapts to humans, it can spread quickly and drive larger outbreaks. This is likely the case with clade Ib, which is concerning due to its potential severity.
It is important to note that mpox outbreaks have been known to have a high mortality rate, with some outbreaks of clade I killing up to 10% of those infected. However, more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes that the situation is constantly evolving and that there are multiple overlapping outbreaks of different clades in different countries, each with their own specific modes of transmission and levels of risk. It is a complex and concerning situation that will continue to be closely monitored by experts around the world.
Thailand has recently confirmed its first case of the highly infectious clade 1b strain of mpox. This is only the second known case of clade 1 mpox outside of Africa, with Sweden reporting their first case just last week. The patient is a 66-year-old European man who arrived in Thailand from an unspecified African country on August 14th, according to the Department of Disease Control.
The man was admitted to the hospital the following day, displaying symptoms of illness and fever consistent with mpox. Before arriving in Thailand, he had been in close contact with 43 people, according to the department. This news comes as the World Health Organization declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, the highest level of alarm under international health law. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also declared a public health emergency for the continent on Tuesday.
The clade Ib strain, known to be deadlier than other strains, is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has already reached four previously unaffected countries in Africa. The Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern about the potential for further international spread. The emergency committee chair, Dimie Ogoina, also stated that the current outbreak is just the tip of the iceberg and that the full extent of the burden of mpox is not yet known.
Experts from around the world are closely monitoring the situation, but many may be wondering what exactly mpox is and how this current outbreak differs from previous ones. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease related to the now-eradicated smallpox virus. It can spread through close contact such as touching, kissing, or sexual contact, as well as through contaminated materials like sheets, clothing, and needles.
Symptoms of mpox typically begin with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, exhaustion, headache, and muscle weakness, followed by a rash with raised lesions that scab over and resolve over a few weeks. However, this current outbreak is different from previous ones in its genetic makeup. There are two main genetic clades of mpox, I and II, with distinct differences in their genetic and clinical characteristics. The previous global outbreak in 2022 to 2023 was caused by clade II, but this current outbreak is being driven by clade I, which is known to cause more severe disease.
Of particular concern is the subtype clade Ib, which is relatively new and has adapted to human transmission. According to Dr. Daniel Bausch, a senior adviser for global health security at FIND, this mutation is likely the result of the virus being transmitted from animals to humans and then adapting to human-to-human transmission. The situation is further complicated by the presence of multiple overlapping outbreaks of different clades in different countries with varying modes of transmission and levels of risk.
While some previous outbreaks of clade I mpox have had death rates of up to 10%, more recent outbreaks have had lower mortality rates, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The current situation is alarming due to the emergence of a new, more dangerous clade and the presence of multiple outbreaks with varying levels of risk and transmission. The WHO has also recently announced that they will be renaming the virus from monkeypox to mpox in order to avoid perpetuating racist language. As the situation continues to unfold, it is important to stay informed and follow any necessary precautions to prevent further spread of this concerning outbreak.
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