India reported its first mpox case linked to the fast-spreading clade 1b variety on Monday, involving a man in the southern state of Kerala. Health Ministry spokesperson Manisha Verma confirmed this development after news agency ANI cited official sources indicating that the case, identified in the Malappuram district last week, belonged to clade 1.
The patient, a 38-year-old man who traveled from the United Arab Emirates, was admitted to the local government medical college hospital. Kerala health authorities noted that further details of the case were not immediately available.
Until now, India had not reported any mpox cases from the new strain, although federal authorities had recently issued advisories urging all states to remain vigilant and prepared for potential cases. This caution followed the rapid spread of mpox, which led the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency after the new strain, first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, began to affect neighboring countries.
Between 2022 and March this year, India recorded approximately 30 cases and one death linked to the older clade 2 strain, with one additional case reported earlier this month. Currently, two strains of mpox are circulating in Congo: the endemic clade 1 and the new clade 1b strain.
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Mpox primarily spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike previous pandemics such as Covid-19, there is no evidence of airborne transmission. The virus typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, usually resulting in mild illness, although it can be fatal in some cases.
