● The first Mpox Clade 1b infection has been confirmed in India.
● On September 23, Asian News International (ANI) reported, citing Indian government sources, that a 38-year-old male traveler (nationality not disclosed) from the United Arab Emirates was diagnosed in Malappuram, Kerala, as India’s first case of Mpox Clade 1b.
● On September 26, Chandra, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, stated, “Outside the African continent, confirmed Mpox Clade 1b cases have recently been reported from Sweden and Thailand, one case each, and India has become the third country outside Africa to report a Clade 1b case.” He further issued a recommendation to all states and union territories to implement critical public health measures to minimize the spread of the infection.
● Mpox typically causes symptoms such as rash, fever, headache, and muscle aches. However, most patients do not show respiratory symptoms like cough or runny nose, making it less likely to spread than diseases like COVID-19 or influenza. Since Mpox is mainly transmitted through close contact, important preventive measures include frequent handwashing with soap or alcohol-based sanitizer, avoiding close contact with strangers, and staying away from rodents such as squirrels and rats, as well as regions experiencing outbreaks.
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