The Union Health Ministry on Monday informed that presence of Mpox (monkeypox) virus of West African clade 2 was confirmed in an isolated patient.
The patient is stable and there is no immediate risk to the public, it said.
In a statement, the Health Ministry said, “The previously suspected case of Mpox (monkeypox) 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. This case is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards, and is not a part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO) which is regarding clade 1 of Mpox.”
“The individual, a young male who recently traveled 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,” it said.
The Health 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.”
However, the ministry did not disclose the place of the case from where it was reported.
The Central government on Monday issued an advisory to the States and Union Territories (UTs) over the Mpox, calling upon for the screening and testing of all the suspect cases of the viral disease.