India has confirmed its first case of MPOX clade 1 in Malappuram, Kerala. The patient, a 38-year-old man, recently returned from the United Arab Emirates. Fortunately, he is reported to be stable.
This case marks the first instance of the current strain that led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare MPOX a public health emergency last month. Previously, a 26-year-old man from Hisar, Haryana, tested positive for the West African Clade 2 strain earlier this month.
Since the WHO classified MPOX as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2022, India has seen a total of 30 cases. Recently, health officials in Thailand also confirmed a case of the same version of MPOX, making it the second report of this more dangerous strain outside of Africa, following its detection in Sweden.
In response to the rising threat, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi issued guidelines for managing patients suspected of having contracted the MPOX virus. This protocol was established shortly after the WHO declared the virus a significant international concern.
AIIMS noted that MPOX is a zoonotic disease with symptoms resembling those of smallpox, though generally less severe. The WHO's declaration emphasizes the need for increased awareness, swift identification, and rigorous infection control measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
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