singalion Posted August 19 Report Share Posted August 19 For information purposes as Thailand is a common and frequently used tourist location for Singaporeans also in raising awareness: Surprisingly Thailand has not stocked up any Mpox Vaccine. Vaccines are not available currently in Thailand. In September 2022 Thailand ordered one batch of 500 vaccines to distribute to "high risk groups". But after that nothing happened. Actually, nobody really knows who got the vaccine (probably the political elite? 🤣) Visitors to Thailand should be aware of the recently released numbers of Mpox infections in the country, which looks like Thailand never really resolved the previous Mpox surge from 2022 and Mpox is still spreading around in Thailand. Note that Clade 2 is not the more dangerous African new strain (Clade 1 / 1B), which is more severe and has a higher death rate. Some excerpts from the recent media in Thailand: Mpox in Thailand different from African strain: Health authorities AUGUST 15, 2024 In Thailand, Clade 2 cases number 827, with 11 deaths between January 1 to August 10, 2024. Of these, 97.46% are male and 2.54% are female. The department's website lists the top 10 provinces with the highest Mpox case numbers: Bangkok (441 cases), Chonburi (78), Nonthaburi (42), Samut Prakan (31), Phuket (31), Rayong (25), Pathum Thani (25), Chiang Mai (23), Songkhla (12), and Khon Kaen (12). https://www.nationthailand.com/health-wellness/40040593 => Certain high risk groups might be more probably to get infected. Be informed that Singapore currently imposes a 21 day quarantine, of which are 7 day monitoring phase. The quarantine period may be increased again, once the first cases arrive in Singapore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singalion Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 Thailand confirms Asia’s first case of new mpox virus strain Authorities have placed 43 close contacts of patient under surveillance Bangkok Post 23 Aug 2024 Please credit and share this article with others using this link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2852471/thailand-confirms-asias-first-case-of-new-mpox-virus-strain. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Bangkok Post PCL. All rights reserved. Thailand became the first country in Asia to detect the new mutated strain of the mpox virus, as the pathogen spreads to more geographies after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak in Africa a new global health emergency. The patient who tested positive for clade Ib was a European male who arrived in Bangkok last week from Africa, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC) of the Public Health Ministry. Authorities have identified 43 close contacts of the 66-year-old patient and put them under surveillance. They will be monitored for any symptoms for 21 days and are required to go to a hospital if they there is fever, rashes or swollen lymph nodes, the ministry said on Friday Thailand said it will quarantine any traveller found with mpox symptoms, and visitors from countries with outbreaks will have their temperatures measured, checked for rashes and travel history questioned. The government is also preparing a 60-room quarantine facility to isolate patients in the event of a widespread outbreak, the Ministry of Public Health said. Thailand confirms first mpox case; experts say disease presents hard-to-weigh risks ST Aug 22, 2024, 09:11 PM PARIS - An mpox case reported in Thailand this week has been confirmed as being the clade Ib strain of the virus – the first in the country – a disease control official said on Aug 22. “This man is likely infected from an endemic country,” Mr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, told Reuters. He added that no other local infections had been detected through contact tracing. Thailand on Aug 21 said the case was a 66-year-old European man who had arrived from an African country where the disease is spreading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singalion Posted August 26 Author Report Share Posted August 26 Bangkok Post published this also today: Prominent virologist says mpox jabs only needed for at-risk groups 25 Aug 2024 The high-risk groups include homosexual men, individuals engaging in casual sex, and those who have travelled to countries where the disease is prevalent. He noted that mpox does not spread as easily as Covid-19. It is usually only transmitted through physical or sexual contact and the sharing of a bed, for example. Is there a vaccine for monkeypox? A: Vaccines against smallpox can also prevent monkeypox. Older adults who have had smallpox vaccine will be immunized against monkeypox. However, people who were born after 1980 may not have received smallpox vaccine. Currently, a smallpox live-attenuated virus vaccine manufactured by a Danish company is available, It is made from a Modified Vaccinia Ankara Bavarian Nordic, a closely related virus to smallpox. However, the efficacy and side effects are still unclear. Since monkeypox is still not considered a pandemic, the vaccine currently not available in Thailand. https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/content/questions-about-monkeypox?srsltid=AfmBOorecPvjXF-G3sJavklwlJRmYmtyrvJbMEswZ13WDPMJ3jL4LimY Pulse Clinic has just updated their website but informs that despite WHO calling it a pandemic the Thai Government has not taken any measures to import vaccines. => MPox vaccines still not available. Monkeypox in Thailand 2024 PULSE Clinic https://www.pulse-clinic.com › monkeypox-in-thailand Is the Monkeypox Vaccine Available in Thailand? ... Currently, there are no Mpox vaccines available in Thailand yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singalion Posted October 9 Author Report Share Posted October 9 Update on the situation in Thailand: Thailand seems to act now. However, distribution to public is unclear and whether any foreigners are eligible to receive the vaccine is not sure. Probably only when they have been infected with Mpox. But it is a first step into the right direction. While I doubt 3000 vaccines would be sufficient to cover the high risk groups. Currently, it doesn't seem available for the general public (unless you are infected). Note: Availability is only in 4 months from September 2024! => take precautions in the meantime. B21 million approved for mpox vaccines Vaccination only necessary for high-risk groups, say health officials The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has allocated a budget of 21 million baht to purchase 3,000 doses of mpox vaccine. The MVA-BN vaccine from Denmark is expected to arrive in four months and will be administrated to high-risk people, said Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the director-general of the department. The vaccine is intended to control the disease, which means that it is not necessary for everyone. It will be given to high-risk groups only under medical guidelines, he said. The first high-risk group involves pre-exposure, which includes disease control staff working at international airports, border station health-check units, medical workers and staff working at laboratories. The second group involves post-exposure prophylaxis, such as people who have had close contact with mpox patients. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2860827/b21-million-approved-for-mpox-vaccines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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