India reports first ‘suspect’ case of Monkeypox

The government on Sunday reported the first ‘suspect’ case of Monkeypox (Mpox) in the country and said there is no cause of any undue concern.
The Union Health Ministry, in a statement, said a young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of Mpox in the country.
“The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable,” the Union Health Ministry said, adding that “the samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox.”
The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and there is no cause of any undue concern, the health ministry added.
It is important to note that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, 2024. The first announcement of the global outbreak was made in 2022 when cases started getting reported from world over.
Just after the WHO global alert, the Union Health Ministry in August itself incorporated suggestions from the NCDC, which included updated alert identifying sick patients at the ports of entry; isolation of suspected and confirmed cases; lab tests; symptoms, prevention, reporting of patients to the hospitals; surveillance strategies; community awareness; and hospital infection control measures.
The new Mpox strain found in Africa is more lethal than the previous one detected in 2022 and can also spread through sexual contact.