India on Monday reported its first case of the Mpox Clade 1b strain, which prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency, in a 38-year-old man from Kerala, who had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The Clade 1b strain was found in a 38-year-old man from Malappuram district of Kerala who tested positive last week,” official sources said.
The patient is currently stable and had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates, they said.
The Kerala patient is the second case of Mpox detected in India since the WHO declared it a public health emergency of immediate concern (PHEIC) last month following a surge in cases in African countries.
The previous case of Mpox had occurred in New Delhi, when a 26-year-old man from Hisar in Haryana tested positive for the earlier West African strain Clade 2, which was not part of the WHO advisory. “The patient was discharged on Saturday,” the source added.
Monkeypox or Mpox is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted by direct contact with infected skin or other lesions (mouth, genitals). Infection can also occur through the use of contaminated objects, such as clothing or bed linen, or in a community setting.
Earlier this month, the Union Health Ministry had directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to review their public health preparedness, along with screening and testing of all suspected Mpox cases.
It also called on States to increase the detection and identification of isolation facilities in hospitals to handle both suspected and confirmed cases, the availability of necessary logistics and trained human resources in such facilities and a plan for expansion.
Currently, there are 22 laboratories actively conducting Mpox testing, according to a Communicable Disease Alert (CD Alert) shared by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
State AIDS control societies have also been asked to be on the alert for suspected cases and improve community awareness as about half of the cases are reported to be in people with HIV.
First published: September 23, 2024 | 18:45 IS
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