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Keeping an eye on monkey pox in Thailand
Under the mountain there is still something hidden.
Thai Rath Edition
27 Aug 2022 07:01 a.m.
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The world is still keeping an eye on the outbreak of smallpox (Monkeypox virus), which has been infected in 83 countries since the World Health Organization declared it an international public health emergency.
Recently, it was reported that
"Italian greyhound infects the world's first smallpox case"
by getting the infection from an owner of a gay man who had both been infected by having sex with another gay couple.
As for
"Thailand"
, the fifth confirmed case is a Thai woman traveling from Dubai with a history of close contact with foreigners.
"Infection shows symptoms before returning to Thailand"
causing close contact between 2 foreigners sitting.
Asst.Prof.Dr. Opas Puttacharoen, Head
of the Emerging Clinical Center
Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, said that the global smallpox epidemic tends to spread more slowly.
causing many countries to find infections
in the country without being caught from outside into the country
And there are some countries that are unable to control the outbreak.
For example, the
"USA"
has a continuous increase in the number of smallpox cases.
"Spain or Brazil"
also has a rapidly increasing rate of infection.
But fortunately, the infected people tend to be physically strong.
"The mortality is therefore low, less than 1%,"
but this infection often has a rash on the body that gradually turns red, raised into pustules, itchy, burning, suffering.
Although
"smallpox is less contagious than COVID-19"
and has a low mortality rate.
But the infection was quite painful.
With the occurrence of pustules in important organs such as the
“eye”
, corneal inflammation can lead to blind disabilities.
Or some people develop a pustular rash at the end of the urethra, it may cause severe complications that make it difficult to urinate.
When healed, the pustules become fibrous wounds. The urethra is constricted until the urine is less dripping.
Next is
“epidemics often infect a specific group of people”
, according to contact information, often from person-to-person.
“Skin contact
secretions of infected people
or objects contaminated with viruses”
, in particular, the highest risk is
"During sexual activity with an infected person,"
even when wearing a condom, the chances of infection are high as before.
due to this disease
"contact infection"
and having sex is often exposed in many positions close to each other for a long time
causing exposure to secretions during this activity
“Especially the group of MSM who change sexual partners regularly,"
but living in the same house as the patient is less likely to get the infection than having sex.
But the "human-infected dog"
case
was previously anticipated because of the increasingly widespread outbreak.
"There is a chance to easily get into mammals" such as squirrels, rabbits, rats, dogs, cats, and can also be transmitted in animals by touching secretions from one animal to another.
In case of infection in this animal, it is even more difficult to control. But in Thailand there has never been an epidemic in animals before.
Second, the
“infection”
, as usual, smallpox is spread through the air.
Most are infected through contact with objects contaminated with the virus that the patient has touched.
As in the previous case, to collect the virus of a patient traveling to Suvarnabhumi Airport
Ready to test for infection by passport, seat or mobile phone.
In the diagnosis of RT-PCR confirmed by means of RT-PCR, because no ATK test kit has been found,
"contaminants are contaminated with many objects".
If there are people who come in contact, they may get the infection through the wounded skin, through the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane of the nose. to the body
"Incubation for no more than 3 weeks". During this period, about 60% of patients have a fever.
before lymph node enlargement
and have a rash on the body
and then turn into a pustular rash, which is a period of further infection
"Chickenpox-like changes"
for the treatment of the disease is often prescribed medication according to the symptoms because it can heal on its own.
look back on the situation
"Smallpox epidemic in Thailand"
preliminary on August 21, 2022, found 5 confirmed cases, all infected from abroad.
“And then some infected people come into Thailand and have sex with other people before
Disease control officials will know this information.”
But there are still no reports of infection within the country.
However, the disease must be investigated.
"Search for high-risk contacts"
to quarantine facilities provided by the state for observation for at least two weeks to contain the spread of the disease in the country.
and asked if
there is a tendency for an outbreak to occur in the
country
leading to an epidemic within the country.
“In the group of men who love men, the behavior of using drugs
or change sexual partners often”
looks like the first period of
"Covid-19 outbreak"
that infected people are visitors to pubs or gamblers
Like the "smallpox epidemic", people tend to like people. promiscuous or gay
The problem is that
"This disease is about to be stigmatized as a bad person with promiscuous behavior"
, resulting in high-risk people in close contact with smallpox infected people do not dare to reveal themselves to be screened for the disease easily.
Or, moreover, some people are infected with mild illnesses.
and may not come out for treatment in the public health system at all
As a result,
"the epidemic has become more difficult to control."
AIDS-like features are communicating, causing infected people to be labeled as promiscuously infected with the disease.
Affects the mind until separation from society
Therefore, this smallpox disease
"government"
must communicate to society understandably.
“To avoid being stigmatized,”
especially healthcare workers, should communicate in a manner that
“infected people or people at high risk”
are aware and brave to come out for screening.
Because otherwise, the outbreak will definitely become more widespread.
The next problem is
“The RT–PCR examination process is difficult to access”
Free examination only for those who are clearly at risk.
In the case of suspected infections who wish to be tested, they must pay at least 1,500 baht by themselves.
“Participants in the risk criteria must get a free examination”
is also easily accessible.
because of the present
“No ATK test kit”
with manufacturing techniques
And the outbreak of infection in specific groups is not a incentive
for "manufacturers" to
develop smallpox testing kits.
But what can be done easily is to make RT-PCR testing affordable and easy to access.
In fact,
the “smallpox screening system in Thailand”
has very strict standards.
Observe the interception of each case.
"Disease control officers"
have a preliminary screening as well.
“My eyes notice the symptoms of the infected person passing through the checkpoint.
Suvarnabhumi Airport Immigration"
because this disease cannot be screened with a thermometer like COVID-19.
To reiterate,
“There is no specific drug for chickenpox.”
Most of the time, other antiviral drugs were used as temporary treatment.
But in the future, the trend of the epidemic is increasing.
“Government agencies”
must provide medicines and vaccines to prevent them.
Initially know that
"Providing a new vaccine, ready to be imported, about 1,000 doses soon,"
to be used for high-risk groups who have direct contact with infected patients, such as people who have sex with those infected but do not have symptoms can be injected. Vaccination within 4 days can prevent infection.
Finally, leave it
General people who do not like to have sex with strangers often.
or change partners continuously
"There is no risk, don't worry about this disease,"
but if it's a risk group, the best thing to do is
“Reduce sex
or sex parties”
are often gathered together without knowing each other, which is a very close activity.
It can be considered a risk of smallpox.
“Now the government has to open a small pox test point as an inexpensive, specialized test.
without causing the user to feel embarrassed
which understands that many hospitals have opened this disease test
Including an anonymous clinic, the Thai Red Cross Society, if the patient meets the criteria, can be checked for free.
because I believe that the cases of infected patients should be increasing more and more.” Asst. Prof. Dr. Opas said
Emphasize that "Thailand" has slowly started to increase the number of smallpox cases. They must be careful and watchful because what they see here is “The top of an iceberg,” and beneath that mountain there may be a lot of hidden things that we don't know yet.
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