Thailand has announced the country’s first monkeypox case. It comes as the World Health Organization is deliberating whether to declare a “public health emergency of international concern.”
The country’s health ministry confirmed on Thursday that a 27-year-old Nigerian national was found infected by the virus.
The man, who had a record of traveling from Nigeria, was in the southern province of Phuket when he visited a hospital last week.
He told doctors that he had symptoms, including rash and high fever.
Though he was asked to voluntarily quarantine until the diagnosis was confirmed, authorities say his whereabouts are currently unknown. Local police say he had overstayed his visa.
Monkeypox is endemic in parts of western and central Africa. Its symptoms include fever, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes and skin lesions.
So far this year, WHO has confirmed over 14,000 cases from around 70 countries and regions.
