Thailand's eighth confirmed monkeypox case is a 23-year-old Thai service provider who returned from Qatar on Tuesday, the chief of the Department of Disease Control said on Friday.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, he director-general, said the patient did not have a prior chronic illness and was a service provider in Qatar. He did not say what gender.
Illness caused the person to return home, and they were later admitted to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province.
Dr Opas said the patient had sex with a man who had pimple-like blisters on his back. The patient first showed symptoms on Thursday last week. They included fever, shivering, headache, fatigue, muscle ache, backache, loss of appetite and about 15 blisters on the hands, arm, armpits, back, buttocks and anus.
After arrival on Tuesday, the person met two Thai friends. The patient kept belongings at one friend's room, shared a meal and used the bathroom there. The patient left baggage with the other friend, but did not enter their room.
Neither friend had contact with the patient's skin or blisters, Dr Opas said.
On Wednesday the person sought an examination at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute and a test returned positive for monkeypox.
"The patient has had symptoms since being overseas... The patient did not visit any community or crowded place. The person saw a doctor when suspicious symptoms were found," Dr Opas said.
As of Sunday there were 54,709 monkeypox cases worldwide including 18 fatalities and most cases were in Europe, the director-general said.
Dr Opas also said that monkeypox was neither highly contagious nor severe. People could prevent infection by avoiding close contact with those who had fever and blisters and not having sex with a stranger, he said.
The disease is endemic to central and western Africa.
