On Monday, India confirmed its first case of mpox linked to the fast-spreading clade 1b variant in a traveler from the southern state of Kerala. Manisha Verma, spokesperson for the health ministry, reported that the case involved a 38-year-old man who recently traveled from the United Arab Emirates. This case was recorded in Malappuram district last week.
According to health officials, this marks the first instance of the new strain, which prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare mpox a public health emergency for the second time last month. The previous case reported in India involved a 26-year-old resident of Hisar, Haryana, who tested positive for the earlier West African Clade 2 strain.
Since the WHO declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2022, India has reported a total of 30 cases. The clade 1b variant, currently endemic in Central Africa, poses a risk of severe illness and is characterized by rapid transmission, which has led to heightened alerts from health authorities.
Earlier today, the WHO reported over 30,000 suspected mpox cases across Africa this year, with the majority occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where testing supplies have reportedly run out. Additionally, more than 800 deaths linked to suspected mpox cases have been recorded on the continent, with neighboring Burundi also facing an escalating outbreak.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the need for public awareness and preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus.
