India reports its first suspected monkeypox case
Health ministry said that the suspected patient of the viral disease has been isolated and contact tracing was underway.
New Delhi: A suspected case of Mpox, or monkeypox, has been reported from one of the designated hospitals to manage the disease in the country, the Union health ministry said on Sunday, adding that further investigations are currently underway to confirm the diagnosis in a man who has a history of travelling to one of the affected African countries.

The ministry further said that the suspected patient of the viral disease has been isolated and contact tracing was underway to identify possible source of the infection.
“A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox transmission has been identified as a suspect case of Mpox. The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable,” the health ministry said in a statement. “Samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox. The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country.”
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. After a sudden increase in cases of monkeypox was recorded in parts of Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on August 14 declared Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. This was the second announcement by WHO on global outbreak of the viral disease since 2022 when cases were reported from world over.
The viral infection can spread between people mainly through close contact, and occasionally from the environment to people through things and surfaces touched by those infected with Mpox. In settings where the monkeypox virus is present among some wild animals, it can also be transmitted from infected animals to people who come in contact with them.
Most people recover from monkeypox within a few weeks and the disease has only been fatal in rare cases. Symptoms include lesions, eruptions on the face, palms or soles, scabs, fever, muscle ache and chills.
The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) is usually from six to 13 days but can range from five to 21 days, with communicability of one-two days before the rash to until all the scabs fall off or get subsided.
Mpox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting from 2-4 weeks. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complication.
“The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and there is no cause of any undue concern. The country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related case and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk,” the health ministry said.
There is no specific treatment for Mpox, however, patient isolation, protection of compromised skin and mucous membranes, rehydration therapy and nutritional support, antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections if they develop, and monitoring and treatment of complications are the commonly advised supportive measures against the infection.
Preventive measures include practising good hand hygiene— washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser— after contact with infected animals or humans, and using appropriate personal protective equipment when caring for patients. Proper chlorination is also advised.
