India’s Health Ministry has announced the identification of a suspected mpox case in the capital, New Delhi.
The ministry reported that a young male patient, who recently traveled from a country experiencing mpox transmission, is under investigation. The patient has been isolated and is in stable condition, with samples sent for testing. He is currently in the isolation ward at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
“The development of this case aligns with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and there is no cause for undue concern,” stated the Health Ministry.
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern,’ the highest alert level. Following this, experts assessed the risk of mpox in India and suggested that while a few imported cases might occur, a large-scale outbreak with ongoing transmission remains unlikely.
India has recorded around 30 cases and one death since mpox was first detected in 2022. This is the first suspected case related to the current outbreak, which involves the clade Ib strain, primarily transmitted through sexual contact. Mpox virus (MPXV) has two main clades: clade I and clade II, with clade I being more severe. Sexual transmission of clade I infections had not been previously reported.
The Health Ministry emphasized that India is well-prepared to handle such isolated travel-related cases and has implemented robust measures to manage and mitigate potential risks. Health units at airports, seaports, and land borders have been on high alert, and laboratories and isolation facilities are ready.
Mpox, caused by the mpox virus (MPXV), typically presents with symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and pox-like rashes. While it usually resolves on its own, it can be fatal, particularly for children and those with weakened immune systems.
