24-8-2023 (BANGKOK) Two cases of monkeypox (mpox) have been identified in the city, raising concerns about the spread of the disease. At the same time, the Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office has issued a warning stating that over 5,000 individuals in the provincial capital are currently affected by dengue fever.
According to Songyot Khamchai, the head of the communicable disease control unit at the Chiang Mai public health office, both confirmed mpox cases involve homosexual patients. The first case involves a 31-year-old man, whose identity has been withheld, who revealed that he contracted mpox during a recent one-night stand in Taiwan.
Mr. Songyot stated that the incubation period for this case has passed, indicating that the man can no longer transmit the virus to others. The second case involves a 40-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed, who contracted the disease in another province but began showing symptoms while traveling in Chiang Mai. The individual has been sent to his hometown for quarantine.
Thailand has recorded a total of 217 mpox cases, with the majority of cases affecting males. Out of these, 187 cases were reported among Thai nationals as of August 15. The Department of Disease Control has reported only one mpox-related death in the country.
The deceased individual was HIV-positive and had syphilis but had not received any treatment. He developed mpox symptoms on July 3 and passed away on August 11.
Mr. Songyot emphasized that individuals with recent close contact with high-risk groups or those who have experienced rashes or swollen lymph nodes can seek treatment at any hospital in Chiang Mai.
Meanwhile, the number of dengue cases in the city is on the rise. Mr. Songyot revealed that Chiang Mai has witnessed nearly 5,000 cases this year, a significant increase compared to the 1,000 cases reported in the entirety of 2022.
If the dengue cases in Chiang Mai’s Muang district do not decrease by the end of this month, the Chiang Mai Provincial Administration Organisation will declare it a dengue outbreak area, triggering the enforcement of the Communicable Diseases Act.
Among the districts in the city, Muang, Mae Ai, Fang, Chai Prakan, and Mae Rim have reported the highest number of cases, as stated by Mr. Songot.
