First suspected mpox case detected in India
India has identified its first suspected case of mpox since the World Health Organisation classified it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern last month, marking the highest alert level.
“A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of Mpox,” union health ministry said on Sunday.
The patient has been isolated and their sample has been sent for testing.
“The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the NCDC and there is no cause of any undue concern,” the health ministry said in the statement.
“The country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related case and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk,” the health ministry statement said.
Although the country has previously recorded at least 30 cases and one death since the virus was first detected in 2022, this is the first suspected case in the latest outbreak.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a self-limiting viral infection caused by the mpox virus (MPXV). Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes resembling pox that typically last for two to three weeks. While generally self-limiting, the disease can be fatal, particularly in children and those with weakened immune systems.
