2023-08-15 00:50:50
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According to health authorities, the first monkeypox-related death in Thailand occurred last week.
He is a 34-year-old Thai man who was already infected with HIV and syphilis.
Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, director general of the department of disease control, said on Monday the patient suffered from fever, headache, itching and a rash on July 3.
He was treated at a private hospital in Chonburi province on July 11.
Tests carried out on samples taken from him confirmed that he had monkeypox, HIV and syphilis.
The patient then suffered from a sore throat due to a fungal infection, an opportunistic infection in HIV-positive patients, Dr Tares said.
A rash spread all over his body from monkey pox.
He was discharged from the hospital following being treated there for several weeks.
On August 9, the man suffered from fatigue and breathing difficulties.
His relatives took him to the Institute of Infectious Diseases in Bamrasnaradura, Nonthaburi province.
He then had a monkeypox-related rash all over his body, large areas of dead tissue on his nose and neck, infections in his limbs, lungs and brain, and severe immunodeficiency.
He was given smallpox medication and antibiotics, but his condition deteriorated and he died on the night of August 11.
An emerging infectious disease in Thailand
Dr Tares said monkeypox was an emerging infectious disease in Thailand.
As of August 8, 189 cases had been identified, including 161 Thais and 28 foreigners.
Most cases involved men who have sex with men, and 43% of cases also had HIV.
The director general of disease control said the most common cause was having sex with a stranger who was already infected with monkeypox.
His deputy, Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, said monkeypox was spreading because people continued to engage in risky behavior.
Nearly half of the new smallpox cases were HIV-positive and life-threatening because their immune systems were already weakened, which favored opportunistic infections.
There have been 152 monkeypox-related deaths worldwide since the outbreak was first reported in May last year, Dr Sophon said.
Monkeypox is now referred to by global health authorities as Mpox.
The disease is believed to have first spread from Africa.
Source : Bangkok Post
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