India’s health ministry has confirmed a suspected case of mpox in a young male patient who recently traveled from a country experiencing an outbreak of the virus. The patient has been isolated in a hospital and is in stable condition, with contact tracing underway to identify potential sources. The ministry did not specify the strain of the virus, but tests are being conducted for confirmation.
Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox was discovered in 1958 and can be transmitted to humans through infected animals or close contact with an infected person. Symptoms can range from mild flu-like symptoms to fatal cases, with pus-filled lesions on the body.
The outbreak of the clade 1b variant of mpox has caused global concern, with cases reported in Sweden and Africa. India has detected 30 cases of the older clade 2 strain between 2022 and March 2024.
The World Health Organization (WHO) changed the name from monkeypox to mpox last year, citing concerns about racism. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, but clarified that it is not another COVID-19. The DRC has reported over 17,500 cases and 629 deaths, prompting a global health emergency declaration by the United Nations. Vaccines have been distributed in the DRC, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand to combat the outbreak.
The health ministry in India assures that the situation is being managed according to established protocols, with measures in place to contain the spread of the virus.
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