Asia on alert over mpox as cases detected in Thailand, Philippines

BANGKOK/MANILA -- Asian countries are bracing for a possible spread of mpox, with cases of the viral disease reported in Thailand and the Philippines after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency last week.

Formerly known as monkeypox, it can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever, according to the WHO, which also says that although most people fully recover, some get very sick. On Aug. 14, the WHO declared that the upsurge of mpox in Africa is a "public health emergency of international concern," adding that especially concerning was the spread of a new strain, clade 1b, which is considered more serious than the clade 2 strain that spread globally in the previous emergency in 2022.