The man with Thailand’s first confirmed case of monkeypox has fled in Phuket.
Only a day after confirming the first case of monkeypox in Thailand, the patient–a 27-year old Nigerian man–has fled in Phuket.
The man arrived in Thailand from Nigeria recently, and showed symptoms of the virus including a cough, fever, and skin lesions. He was told to self-isolate in a private apartment, but he instead checked into a hotel and failed to turn up at the hospital where he was meant to go for treatment.
Officials believe he fled in a white car and are currently working to find him. So far, police have interviewed 142 people who may have had contact with him.
All seven of the people believed to have close contact with the man tested negative for the disease, and no other cases of the virus have been confirmed.
Monkeypox causes flu-like symptoms like fever, muscle aches, and headache, as well as skin symptoms including rashes and lesions.
Approximately 15,000 cases of the virus have been reported globally in 2022. Laos has been monitoring the disease among tourists since May of this year.
