Czech list of countries at risk of “smallpox”, Thailand raises awareness traveler screening

Thailand raises surveillance levels for “small pox”, Department sets up EOC center Screening travelers to distribute “health warning cards” to everyone in every line. Emphasis on English-Spanish-Portuguese-Central Africa Report symptoms of fever – blister – travel from countries at risk, see a doctor suspected to be sent to the Department of Science for testing Yan Thai has never had

On May 23, 2022, at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Chakrarat Pittayawong-anon, director of the Division of Epidemiology Department of Disease Control (Cor.), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) mentioned the surveillance of monkeypox (monkeypox) that The Department has established a Public Health Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in case of smallpox. to watch Screening travelers from countries with outbreaks Helps to detect risk groups faster and prevent the spread of the disease in the country After the epidemic was found in many countries and can be contacted from person to person
“Thailand has to urgently raise the level of the center. to ensure that they can cope in time Because there is no specific drug to treat this disease. need supportive treatment Although there is no infection in the country and Thailand has never encountered this disease before, including the establishment of a center at the department level to monitor and monitor the situation in foreign countries first. that each country has additional information That is enough to tell what is happening in that country that is having an outbreak. To what extent has the epidemic spread? which information will probably gradually come in,” said Dr. Chakrarat.

For domestic disease surveillance is people who travel into the country. which at checkpoints at various airports may not see symptoms Because at the beginning symptoms may be few or no symptoms. But when it comes to Thailand, where blisters and blisters occur, surveillance will be emphasized in high-risk countries, including Central African countries such as Nigeria and the Congo, and European countries that have already spread domestically, such as England, Spain, Portugal.
At the airport, symptoms will be screened for passengers traveling on flights from these countries. See if there are any wounds or anything by walking. and distribute health beware cards as QR codes to be scanned to everyone traveling from the said countries. which mainly indicates that if there are symptoms such as fever, blisters, report to the system and immediately see a doctor in the nearest hospital, including informing the authorities of travel history from high-risk countries

In addition, surveillance will be conducted at the hospital. If a suspected patient is found is having symptoms that are compatible with the disease and having a history of traveling from countries at risk of developing this disease Have the hospital collect samples for testing. which Thailand can test for this infection but can also be done at the central part is the Department of Medical Sciences and report into the surveillance system. However, if an infected person enters Thailand may have to be distributed to centers in the provinces to help inspect

Asked by reporters what had happened to the outbreak of this disease in Europe, Dr. Chakrarat said that monkeypox has been sporadic in Africa for many years. But in the past, no one brought the disease out of the region. This time someone brought the disease out. To be infected from African countries and flew back to bring the infection into Europe, including England, Spain, Portugal and to come in close contact with those who are infected, so they are infected. which are infected with many groups But the group that has quite a lot of outbreaks. In more than 100 cases, there are many clusters that are related to the MSM, but can actually spread all of them, regardless of who they are. If you have close contact with an infected person And the groups of infections found in each European country are not related. The infection is brought from African countries. which when coming out of Africa and into Europe From this it may spread across European countries themselves.
Asked if there will be a new smallpox vaccination, Dr. Chakrarat said not yet because there is no vaccine around the world right now. smallpox that much because the disease has been wiped out Only some countries will keep the vaccine. In Thailand there is no Currently coordinating to find vaccines in which countries have kept them. Or if you want to produce more, you need to see if there is any company that can produce more. because it must be infected The original smallpox was kept in only two countries, the United States and Russia. But it can also replicate the species to make vaccines. It is not necessary to use a real person. All Thai people born before 1980 will receive a smallpox vaccination. But those born after 1980 will not be vaccinated because smallpox has already been wiped out.

The reporter also asked if Will the risk of monkeypox outbreak be the same level as COVID-19? Dr. Chakrarat said it would be different because COVID-19 can spread quickly depending on the species. 2 weeks ago it spread quite quickly. This will need to monitor the situation and information of monkey pox more that the mechanism of infection in addition to being close. Is there another mechanism? need to closely monitor more information Because right now there is very little information. And around the world, only 100 cases have been reported, and if the strain is different from what has been seen before, it must be followed.
Dr. Supakit Sirilak, Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences, said that the infection of monkeypox from person to person caused by exposure to exchanging secretions saliva spray Including blood, so in the case of wounds it can become infected. Therefore, the idea that most people are infected with homosexuals is incorrect. because it can be caught in everyone Because it is a very close infection, however, it is not as easy to get infected with COVID-19. and less of a concern than smallpox.

“Department of Science has set up a science laboratory to detect monkey pox pathogens in those suspected to be infected If the person has a rash pustules on the body The hospital can swap (Swab) the infection around the wound. Send for RT-PCR test at the lab that has a specific reagent. And it takes time to wait for the results like a Covid-19 test,” said Dr Supakit.
In addition, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that Between 13-21 May 2022 in England 21-30 confirmed cases of monkeypox, 21-30 in Portugal and 21-30 in Spain, with 6-10 suspected cases.