Thailand has confirmed its first case of monkeypox after a 27-year-old Nigerian man was diagnosed with the infection.
The man, who had traveled from Nigeria to Phuket, had been admitted to hospital with fever, coughing, and a sore throat. He also suffered from rashes and lesions across his body.
Bangkok Post reports that he was initially tested with a PCR test before other tests confirmed the presence of monkeypox. Dr. Opus Karnkawinpong from Thailand’s Centers of Disease Control made the announcement yesterday afternoon.
Dr. Opus said disease control officials in the province had been instructed to monitor the situation closely and identify any other potential cases to prevent the spread of the virus.
Thailand is the 71st country in the world to confirm a case of monkeypox amid the recent outbreak.
On the same day, WHO experts met to determine whether the recent rise in infections beyond Africa, which began in May, now constitutes a global health emergency.
