India 'investigating' suspected mpox case

NEW DELHI – India is investigating a suspected mpox case and the patient has been isolated, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said in a statement a young male patient, who recently traveled from a country currently experiencing the virus outbreak, has been identified as a suspected case of mpox.

"The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable," it said, adding that samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of mpox.

"The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country," the ministry said, adding that the country is "fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related cases and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk."

While India has now reported first suspected case, the neighboring Pakistan reported the first case of mpox virus in April last year.

Mpox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus. Patients often start exhibiting symptoms with a fever, enlarged lymph nodes, back pain, and muscle aches before a rash appears on the skin, according to the World Health Organization.

The US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 86,000 viral disease cases since January 2022 all over the world. During the same time period, 119 people died.

Last year, the World Health Organization renamed monkeypox to mpox, saying the name of the disease acted as "racist and stigmatizing language." (PNA)