First Case of Monkeypox Reported in India

The Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that a suspicious case of monkeypox has been registered in India involving a man who recently returned from a country experiencing an outbreak of the virus. The department stated that the patient has been isolated in a hospital and is undergoing treatment.

At the same time, the Indian Ministry of Health did not specify which strain of monkeypox has been detected in the patient, but tests are currently being conducted to confirm the infection.

Monkeypox can spread through close contact. It typically presents mild symptoms but can be fatal in rare cases. Symptoms include flu-like signs and pustular lesions on the body.

Last month, the Hindu daily reported that India is in a heightened state of readiness as a new strain of the disease has emerged in Africa. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the new variant a public health emergency of international concern.

From 2022 to March 2024, India recorded 30 cases of infection involving the older strain.