India has reported its first case of Mpox Clade 1b, the strain that prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare the disease a public health emergency, in Kerala’s Malappuram, official sources confirmed on Monday.
“The Clade 1b strain has been found in a 38-year-old male patient from Kerala’s Malappuram district who tested positive last week,” sources said.
Sources added that the patient is currently stable and had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates.
Mpox, or monkeypox, is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions (mouth, genitals). Infection can also occur via contaminated objects such as clothing or linens or in a community setting.
The Kerala patient was the second Mpox case detected in India since the WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) following a surge in cases in African countries.
The earlier case of Mpox had emerged in New Delhi, with a 26-year-old male from Hisar, Haryana testing positive for the previous West African Clade 2 strain, which was not part of the WHO warning issued in August 2024.
“The patient was discharged on Saturday,” the source added.
The Union Health Ministry, earlier this month, had directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to review their public health preparedness, along with screening and testing of all suspected cases of Mpox.
It had also asked states to increase screening and identify isolation facilities in hospitals for taking care of both suspected and confirmed cases, ensure the availability of required logistics and trained human resources in such facilities, and prepare an augmentation plan.
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 told to be on alert to identify suspected cases and improve community awareness, as around half the cases are reported to be in persons with HIV.
First Published: Sep 23 2024 | 6:45 PM IST
