India
Centre confirms mpox case, but says it is a different strain | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry on Monday confirmed that the person who was recently placed in isolation upon arrival in India from an African country has tested positive for monkeypox (Mpox) virus.
The ministry, however, clarified that the strain of Mpox virus affecting the person, West African clade 2, is not part of the current public health emergency. “This case is an isolated case like the previous 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 and is not part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO) pertaining to clade 1 of mpox,” the health ministry explained.
Sources said the person who was found positive for Mpox had travelled to India from a country where Mpox transmission is ongoing. He is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility in Delhi. “The patient is clinically stable and has no systemic illness or comorbidities,” a government source said. They added that the case is in line with earlier risk assessments and is being managed as per established protocols.
“Public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are being actively implemented to ensure the situation remains under control. There is currently no evidence of widespread risk to the public,” the source said.
However, as a matter of abundant precaution, Union Health Minister Apurva Chandra has asked the states/UTs to disseminate information on screening, testing and management of Mpox. Chandra, in a letter to all the states/UTs, has also directed officials to identify isolation facilities in hospitals for treatment of both suspected and confirmed cases, availability of required logistics and trained human resources.
Regarding the current outbreak, the Minister of Health pointed out that most (Mpox) cases are young males with a median age of 34 years (range 18-44 years). Of the modes of transmission reported worldwide, sexual contact is the most reported, followed by non-sexual person-to-person contact. The most common symptom is rash, followed by fever, he added.
The ministry, however, clarified that the strain of Mpox virus affecting the person, West African clade 2, is not part of the current public health emergency. “This case is an isolated case like the previous 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 and is not part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO) pertaining to clade 1 of mpox,” the health ministry explained.
Sources said the person who was found positive for Mpox had travelled to India from a country where Mpox transmission is ongoing. He is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility in Delhi. “The patient is clinically stable and has no systemic illness or comorbidities,” a government source said. They added that the case is in line with earlier risk assessments and is being managed as per established protocols.
“Public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are being actively implemented to ensure the situation remains under control. There is currently no evidence of widespread risk to the public,” the source said.
However, as a matter of abundant precaution, Union Health Minister Apurva Chandra has asked the states/UTs to disseminate information on screening, testing and management of Mpox. Chandra, in a letter to all the states/UTs, has also directed officials to identify isolation facilities in hospitals for treatment of both suspected and confirmed cases, availability of required logistics and trained human resources.
Regarding the current outbreak, the Minister of Health pointed out that most (Mpox) cases are young males with a median age of 34 years (range 18-44 years). Of the modes of transmission reported worldwide, sexual contact is the most reported, followed by non-sexual person-to-person contact. The most common symptom is rash, followed by fever, he added.
