New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has confirmed the country’s first case of the Mpox virus since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency. The ministry stated that the previously suspected case has been verified as a travel-related infection.
Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of the Mpox virus of the West African Clade 2 in the patient. However, the government clarified in its official release that this is an isolated case, similar to the 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards. It is not part of the current public health emergency reported by the WHO, which pertains to Clade 1 of Mpox.
The case aligns with earlier risk assessments and is being managed according to established protocols. Public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are actively in place to ensure the situation is contained. There is currently no indication of any widespread risk to the public, the ministry noted.
The infected individual, a young male who recently traveled from a country experiencing ongoing Mpox transmission, is isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient is clinically stable and has no systemic illness or comorbidities, according to the release.
