Health Ministry Confirms 'Isolated' Mpox Case In Man Who Travelled To India

The government has confirmed that the man, who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox symptoms, has tested positive for the disease. The Health Ministry has further described that it is an 'isolated case' of Mpox in India and is not linked to the public health emergency declared by the WHO.

The Health Ministry in its brief statement said, "The previously suspected case of mpox has been verified as a travel-related infection. Laboratory testing has confirmed the presence of mpox virus of the West African clade-2 in the patient."

The ministry stated that this is an isolated case, like the 30 cases reported in India since July 2022. It is not related to the current public health emergency reported by the WHO, which concerns clade 1 of mpox.

"The individual, a young male who recently travelled from a country experiencing ongoing mpox transmission, is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness or comorbidities," the ministry added.

"There is no indication of any widespread risk to the public at this time," the health ministry stated.

The case fits with previous risk assessments and is being handled according to established procedures.

Public health measures, such as contact tracing and monitoring are actively being used to manage the situation as per reports.

Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for the second time due to its widespread presence and spread across many parts of Africa.