Three suspected monkeypox cases in fact herpes

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control. (DDC photo)
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control. (DDC photo)

The Department of Disease Control said lab results confirmed the diagnosis.

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, on Sunday said that lab results confirmed the cases were not monkeypox.

As of yet no monkeypox infection has been found in the country.

The three people suspected of having contracted monkeypox are receiving treatment

Dr Opas said anyone with a condition similar to monkeypox infection will be examined for the disease. Health control measures at airports likewise will include enhanced screening procedures.

"However, initial information shows that monkeypox infection does not spread as easily as Covid-19. Transmission requires close interaction with a symptomatic individual," Dr Opas said.

Meanwhile, Dr Suprakit Jiraratwattana of the Medical Services Department's Dermatology Institute said monkeypox can be transmitted by the aerosol route within one metre.

Normally monkeypox patients can recover within 2-4 weeks, he said.

Dr Suprakit said studies of monkeypox and herpes show that the diseases originate from the same virus family.

He added that despite the reopening of the country “protective measures including social distancing, wearing a face mask and screening are still required”.

Vocabulary

  • contract : to become infected with a disease - ติดเชื้อ
  • diagnosis: the act of discovering or identifying the exact cause of an illness or a problem - การวินิจฉัยโรค
  • enhance: to improve the quality, amount or strength of something - ปรับปรุง, ทำให้ดีขึ้น
  • examine: to look at somebody/something closely, to see if there is anything wrong or to find the cause of a problem - ตรวจ
  • infection: a disease or medical condition that is caused by a bacteria or by a virus or a parasite - การติดเชื้อ
  • initial: early; first - เบื้องต้น
  • interaction: communicating with somebody, especially while you work, play or spend time with them - การสื่อสารระหว่างกัน, การมีปฏิสัมพันธ์
  • likewise: in a similar way; in the same way - ในทำนองเดียวกัน, เช่นเดียวกัน, อย่างเดียวกัน
  • measures: actions that are intended to achieve or deal with something - มาตราการ
  • screening: the testing or examining of a large number of people or things for disease, faults, illegal objects, etc - การตรวจ
  • suspected: thought to be something - เป็นที่สงสัย
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