Thailand reports first case of highly transmissible Clade 1b Mpox strain amid global concerns

Thailand has reported its first case of the highly transmissible Clade 1b strain of Mpox, raising concerns about a potential global outbreak. This case marks the first occurrence of the strain in Asia, just days after Sweden confirmed the first case outside of Africa.

Health officials confirmed that the infected individual is a 66-year-old European man who had recently traveled to Thailand from an unspecified African country where the disease is actively spreading. "The test results confirm that he is infected with the Clade 1b strain of Mpox, which is the first case diagnosed in Thailand, but this man is likely infected from an endemic country," officials told Reuters.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the surge in Mpox cases a public health emergency of international concern, its highest alert level, following a spike in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Clade 1b strain has been particularly deadly in the region, killing hundreds, and has now spread to other African nations.

In addition to Thailand and Sweden, the 'regular' strain of Mpox has been recently detected in Pakistan and the Philippines, signaling the virus's growing global reach. The WHO and global health authorities are closely monitoring the situation as they work to prevent further spread of the virus.