India has reported its first suspected case of mpox in a man who recently traveled from a country experiencing an outbreak of the virus, the health ministry announced.
The man is currently isolated in a designated hospital for treatment and is in stable condition.
The ministry did not provide details on where the case was detected or which strain of the virus was involved. Efforts are ongoing to trace anyone who may have come into contact with the patient.
“A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of mpox,” the health ministry stated. “The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country.”
The ministry assured the public that there is “no cause of any undue concern.” It added, “The country is fully prepared to deal with such an isolated travel-related case and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a “public health emergency of international concern” last month, which is its highest level of alert. The WHO urged member states to fund a $135 million plan to combat the virus’s spread after concerns were raised about a new, deadlier strain known as Clade 1b. This strain has been spreading in several African countries, including Burundi, Central African Republic, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Mpox, which comes from the same virus family as smallpox, usually causes milder symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. Severe cases can result in lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals.
The Clade 2 strain caused a public health emergency in 2022 but was relatively mild. However, Clade 1, especially its mutant form Clade 1b, has a high fatality rate and has spread rapidly.
India had already put its airports, seaports, and land crossings on alert last month due to the spread of mpox. The country has also prepared some government hospitals and laboratories for a potential outbreak.
Recently, Sweden reported Europe’s first case of Clade 1b on August 15. In Asia, Thailand reported its first case on August 22, followed by suspected cases in Pakistan and the Philippines.
