New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a comprehensive serosurvey to evaluate the exposure to mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) among high-risk populations in India. This move comes in response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of a global public health emergency regarding the disease.

According to an ICMR scientist, the serosurvey has been underway since last year. It involves testing blood samples for antibodies to determine past exposure to the virus. Early results indicate that there have been very few positive cases among the tested individuals. The ICMR also continues its sentinel surveillance at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory to monitor new mpox cases.

This initiative follows recent news from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, where health officials reported that three individuals tested positive for mpox after returning from the United Arab Emirates.

The WHO's recent declaration of a public health emergency of international concern comes in response to a new strain of the virus and confirmed infections in Sweden linked to the ongoing outbreak in Africa. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the emergency status on social media, stating that the Emergency Committee advised this action due to the escalating situation.

The WHO is actively working with affected countries and partners, including the Africa CDC, NGOs, and civil society, to address the crisis and mitigate the spread of mpox.

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