Haryana Man identified as India’s 1st Confirmed Mpox Case

India has its first confirmed case of Mpox after a man from Haryana was found to have to the virus.

The Ministry of Health said laboratory testing of the 26-year-old has confirmed the presence of Mpox. Specifically, it is the Clade 2 strain.

It was reported that the man had returned from a country that is suffering from an outbreak of the virus.

On September 7, 2024, he was admitted to Delhi’s Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital after showing Mpox symptoms.

So far, three Delhi hospitals – LNJP, GTB and Baba Saheb Ambedkar – have set up isolation rooms for suspected and confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said the patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness and comorbidities.

The ministry said: “The case aligns with earlier risk assessments and continues to be managed according to established protocols.

“Public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are actively in place to ensure the situation is contained.

“There is no indication of any widespread risk to the public at this time.”

Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to a genus of viruses called Orthopoxvirus.

The Orthopoxvirus family consists of the variola virus, which causes smallpox, the cowpox virus, and the vaccinia virus.

Mpox drew attention in 2022 as an outbreak affected the US, Europe, Australia, and many other countries.

The virus spreads through close contact and exists in two ways – Clade 1 and 2.

Men who engage in sexual activity with other men are most vulnerable to contracting Clade 2 Mpox, which is mostly transmitted through personal and sexual contact.

Endemically found in West Africa, Clade 2 Mpox is the strain that sparked a global outbreak in 2022.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that it is “less severe,” with more than 99.9% of patients surviving.

Clade 1, on the other hand, is endemic to Central Africa and has killed up to 10% of those infected.

Clade 1b has triggered global concern due to the ease with which it spreads through routine close contact.

The strain is a modified variant of clade I, an endemic type of Mpox that has been present in the Congo for many years and spreads by contact with infected animals.

India detected 30 cases of an older strain between 2022 and March 2024.