The Union Health Ministry announced on Monday that an isolated case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has been detected in India. The case, identified as travel-related, does not fall under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) current global public health emergency.
The ministry confirmed that laboratory tests identified the mpox virus as the West African clade 2 in the patient. This case is not connected to the ongoing global health emergency declared by the WHO, which pertains to clade 1 of the virus.
The affected individual, a young man who recently traveled from a country with active mpox transmission, is currently in stable condition and is being isolated at a designated healthcare facility. He has no underlying health conditions and remains asymptomatic.
In response to the outbreak, the central government has issued an advisory to all states and union territories, emphasizing the need for vigilance. The advisory includes measures for public health preparedness, identifying isolation facilities, and ensuring that hospitals are equipped with necessary resources and trained personnel.
This precautionary step comes as the WHO has declared a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of a new mpox strain. Mpox generally causes flu-like symptoms and pustular lesions, typically presenting mild cases, but it can be severe for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
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