On Sunday, India’s health ministry suspected a Mpox in a young male who recently travelled from an outbreak area. However, the patient is stable, and isolate,s and tests are also being conducted. It is the first suspected case of Monkeypox in the country, however, samples from the person are being tested to confirm the virus’s presence. The chase is being managed online with protocols and contact tracing to identify potential sources and to assess the impact in Indiaas per the Ministry.
The Ministry alleged on Monday that while it had since verified it was Monkeypox, it has the Clade 2 strain. According to the ministry, ‘ Laboratory testing has confirmed the presence of the West African Clade 2 pox virus in the patient’. The Ministry added, ‘This is an isolated case and is not part of the current health emergency reported by WHO regarding Clade 1 Mpox.’
There have been no confirmed MPox cases yet that are mainly caused by the new strain Clade 1. According to the statement, ‘the person who recently traveled from a country experiencing an ongoing outbreak of mpox transmission is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility’. It added, ‘Public health measures including contact tracing and monitoring are actively in place to ensure that the situation is controlled.’
This new Clade 1 strain is detected at first among sex workers in A[September 2023 in eastern DR Congo. Clade 1b cases have been previously recorded inmany countries including Rwanda, and Kenya and these all had previously not detected mpox.
MPox virus – All about it
Monkeypox virus is same as smallpox and was first detected in 1958 in labs of monkeys followed by tropical rainforests in Western and central African countries. The virus can easily spread via close contact with already infected person, infected animals or contaminated material. The symptoms of MPox comprise fever, back pain, skin rash, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, and these can last for about two to four weeks. However, most MPox cases are mild and get resolved independently; some may be severe and need immediate treatment.
Centre issues advisory
Previously, Apurva Chandra, the Union health secretary, issued an advisory to states and union territories in terms of preventive measures, symptoms, and MPox causes. The advisory asked states and Union territories to disseminate and take action in updated Cd alerts and also directed states to review public health preparedness. Advisory also alleged that while all states are requested to undertake proper activities to make people aware of the disease, it is essential that any undue panic amongst the masses can also be prevented. The advisory states that Mpox primarily affects young males within the age limit of 35 years, with sexual mode of transmission being standard, followed by person to person non non-sexual contact.
