Health authorities say the number of monkeypox cases in Thailand soared last month and warn men who have sex with men to take precautions as new cases have been spreading among them.
Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said on Sunday that since the country had its first case of monkeypox in July last year, a further 91 cases have been recorded.
“Last month alone there were as many as 48 new cases, about 2.3 times the 21 new cases in May,” he said.
The 48 new cases were all men who had sex with men and 22, or 45.8%, of them had records of HIV infection, the director-general said.
Of the 48 new cases, 41 are Thais and seven are foreigners. Thirty-eight live in Bangkok; three in Samut Prakan; two each in Chon Buri and Nonthaburi provinces; and one each in Pathum Thani, Phuket and Samut Sakhon.
Most new cases had sex without protection or had sex with strangers before falling ill, Dr Tares said. No patients developed severe symptoms or died.
“This disease can be prevented by avoiding close contact with patients or those suspected of being infected with monkeypox and refraining from sex with strangers,” the director-general said.
People at risk can observe if they have rashes on their sex organs, anuses, mouths or bodies or have a cold, headache, muscle ache and swollen lymph nodes within 21 days of contact with patients. Those with symptoms should see a doctor without delay, Dr Tares said.
Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the spread of the disease in June reflected risky behaviour among men of reproductive age, especially men who had sexual relations with men.