A 26-year-old man from Hisar, Haryana has recorded the first confirmed case of mpox-earlier called monkeypox-in India. The Ministry of Health reported that the patient had recently arrived in India from abroad and tested positive for the West African Clade 2 of the virus.

The patient is stable now, and health authorities have assured that the situation is under control and is not an immediate threat to public health.

Measures Of Isolation

Anticipating the confirmed case, the Delhi government has prepared isolation rooms in three government hospitals, namely LNJP, GTB, and Baba Saheb Ambedkar, for managing suspected and confirmed cases of the mpox virus. The patient was isolated immediately upon admission and has started treatment as per health guidelines. The Ministry of Health said contact tracing and monitoring are going on to contain further spread of the virus.

Should India Worry About Mpox?

While the virus mpox raises concern, the authorities have clarified that Clade 2, which is the virus found in the patient, isn’t part of the current Public Health Emergency declared by the WHO. Clade 2 had led to the 2022 epidemic and continues to circulate in many countries of the world, including some from the West.

However, the WHO recently raised its highest alert level owing to the new strain Clade 1b, as it appeared in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The strain has also been traced in African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and even as far as parts of Asia and Europe. So far, India has not reported any cases caused by the Clade 1b strain.
 
Health Status Of India’s First Mpox Patient
According to the confirmation coming from the Ministry of Health, The patient, remains stable without showing severe symptoms or comorbidities. The case has been managed by health authorities according to protocols already available and in full implementation; there is nothing to indicate widespread risk to the community. Public health measures are basically assurance of containment through active contact tracing.

However, according to the authorities, the fact that mpox has been identified for the first time in India should not be the central issue, since everything is under control and there is no reason for panic.