New Delhi: In a significant health alert, India has reported its first case of the Mpox clade 1 strain, which prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare Mpox a public health emergency last month. The strain has been detected in a 38-year-old man from the Malappuram district of Kerala, who had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates.
The patient is currently stable and under observation, as health officials monitor his condition closely. “This is the first case of the current strain that led to the WHO declaring Mpox a public health emergency for the second time,” stated the official sources.
Manisha Verma, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, confirmed the detection of the clade 1b strain, which has raised concerns due to its rapid spread and potential for severe illness. The announcement follows a previous case of Mpox reported in Delhi, where a 26-year-old resident of Haryana tested positive for the earlier West African Clade 2 strain earlier this month.
Since the WHO declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2022, India has reported a total of 30 cases of the disease. The clade 1b strain is known to be endemic in Central Africa and has been linked to a surge in infections across the continent, leading to heightened global vigilance.
The WHO reported earlier today that over 30,000 suspected cases of Mpox have been documented in Africa this year, with the Democratic Republic of Congo facing the most significant challenges, including a shortage of testing resources.
Health authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and to seek medical advice if they exhibit symptoms associated with Mpox, emphasizing the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment in controlling the spread of this infectious disease.