India Reports First Case of Mpox Clade 1, WHO Declares Public Emergency

India has reported its first case of the Mpox Clade 1 strain, according to official sources referenced by the Press Trust of India (PTI). This strain previously led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare Mpox a public health emergency last month. The Clade 1 strain was detected in an individual from Kerala, with local authorities confirming the development.

The new case involves a 38-year-old man from the Malappuram district in Kerala, who recently returned to India from the United Arab Emirates. According to reports, the patient is in a stable condition and is undergoing medical observation. A representative from the health ministry, Manisha Verma, confirmed the strain after the news agency ANI cited official sources had identified the clade 1 strain in the case from Malappuram.

Previously, the national capital reported a Mpox case involving a 26-year-old resident from Haryana‘s Hisar, who tested positive for the West African Clade 2 strain earlier this month. Since the WHO’s 2022 declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, India has recorded 30 cases.

Mpox Clade 1b, a strain endemic to Central Africa, is known for causing severe illness. The WHO declared a public health emergency over this particular strain due to its rapid spread, reporting hundreds of infections across various nations in Africa. On the same day as India’s reporting, the WHO announced over 30,000 suspected mpox cases in Africa this year, with a significant number from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where testing resources are depleted. The WHO also noted more than 800 fatalities attributed to the disease across the continent. Neighboring Burundi is reportedly experiencing an expanding outbreak as well.