Twelve Under Observation as Monkeypox Confirmed at Bangkok Airport

Bangkok — Twelve people are under medical observation in Thailand after coming into contact with a traveller who later tested positive for monkeypox at Bangkok airport.

The passenger in question had been at Bangkok airport for two hours in transit from Europe to Australia, according to Chakkrarat Pitthaya, director of the epidemiology department of Thailand's disease control authority said Monday.

The individual reportedly displayed no symptoms at the time, developing them only later in Australia, where the infection was then confirmed, the authority added.

All 12 contacts, who were fellow passengers and flight attendants, have so far remained asymptomatic, the authority said. Despite their risk of infection being low, they now face a 21-day medical observation period, Pitthaya said.

Cases of monkeypox are being reported in an increasing number of countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for contact tracing to be implemented.

According to the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the virus usually causes only mild symptoms, but severe cases have also been recorded.

Only those exhibiting symptoms are believed to be contagious, and in those cases only after having close contact with other individuals.

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