Man who returned from abroad to India tests positive for Mpox

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Man who recently travelled from country experiencing Mpox transmission have reportedly tested positive for the virus, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday, reported the PTI.

"The previously suspected case of mpox 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," it said, according to the PTI.

The ministry said that it is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards. It is not a part of the current public health emergency reported by WHO which is regarding clade 1 of mpox, it underlined, as per the PTI.

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"The individual, a young male who recently travelled 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," the ministry said.

The case aligns with earlier risk assessments and continues to be managed according to established protocols, it said, adding that 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," the health ministry stated.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday advised states and Union territories to screen and test all suspect Mpox cases in the community, and identify isolation facilities in hospitals for both suspect and confirmed patients, as per the PTI.

In a letter to states and Union territories on Monday, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra asked them to prevent any undue panic amongst the masses.

Chandra underlined that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare continues to closely monitor the evolving situation.

He asked the states and Union Territories to review public health preparedness, particularly at the health facility level, identify isolation facilities in hospitals, and ensure the availability of required logistics and trained human resources at such facilities.

The Union health secretary also called for the orientation of all key stakeholders with a focus on surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) at state and district levels to re-orient them on definitions of suspect, probable, confirmed cases, contact tracing and other surveillance activities.

In the letter, Chandra asked all states to make people aware of the Mpox disease, its mode of spread, the need for timely reporting and taking preventive measures, besides reviewing the public health preparedness and isolation facilities for both suspect and confirmed cases.

In the letter, Chandra said the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 14 declared the current outbreak of Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

(with PTI inputs)