The Union Health Ministry announced on Monday that a single case of the mpox virus has been detected in India, confirmed as a travel-related infection. However, the Centre clarified that this case is not linked to the global public health emergency declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) concerning the outbreak.
In its statement, the ministry said, “The previously suspected mpox (monkeypox) case has been confirmed as a travel-related infection. Laboratory tests detected the presence of the West African clade 2 of the mpox virus in the patient.”
The ministry emphasized that this is an isolated case, similar to the 30 cases previously reported in India since July 2022, and is unrelated to the ongoing global health emergency, which involves the clade 1 strain of mpox.
The infected individual, a young male who recently returned from a country with active mpox transmission, is currently stable and has no underlying health conditions. “The patient is isolated in a designated tertiary care facility, remains clinically stable, and is not suffering from any systemic illness or comorbidities,” the ministry stated.
Earlier in the day, the central government issued an advisory to all states and union territories regarding the global mpox outbreak, urging authorities to take necessary precautions and raise awareness about the symptoms and prevention of mpox.
The Health Ministry’s letter also directed states and UTs to assess their public health preparedness, ensure isolation facilities in hospitals, and confirm the availability of necessary logistics and trained personnel.
This warning comes as the rapid spread of a new mpox strain worldwide has led the WHO to declare a global health emergency for the second time in two years. Mpox typically presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While generally mild, it can be fatal, with children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV, at greater risk of complications.
