Asia has confirmed its fifth case of monkeypox, after a Thai woman who came back from Dubai had been found to be ill with the disease on arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport terminal on Sunday.
Director-general from the Department of Illness Control, Opas Karnkawinpong, said the 25-year-old, who began sensation ill right before her flight, cooperated along with health authorities in the airport.
Health officials discovered blisters on her body — a classic regarding the disease — and a test confirmed the particular passenger was contaminated with monkeypox. The lady was admitted to a hospital for further therapy, Dr Opas said.
Two foreigners who sitting next to the woman at the flight were deemed to be at high risk of contracting the condition, so they were advised to take a test for monkeypox.
That said, Dr Opas said there are simply no known cases where a person contracted monkeypox after sitting next to an infected person.
“Monkeypox is not highly transmissible… it cannot be carried by air, only through close skin-to-skin contact.
“None of the connections of the four known monkeypox cases within Thailand has captured the disease, ” Doctor Opas said.
Worldwide, there are more than 30, 1000 known monkeypox cases, but only 6 deaths have been documented, he said.