India Reports First Case of Mpox Clade 1b, It’s South Asia’s First Case of the Variant
India has confirmed its first case of Mpox clade 1b, with the infection detected in a 38-year-old man from Malappuram district, Kerala. The man had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates and began showing symptoms shortly after, health officials said.
This marks the country’s first instance of the clade 1b variant. The patient experienced a high fever and developed a rash resembling chickenpox, prompting medical professionals to test him for Mpox. Clade 1b, which spurred the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a public health emergency, is known for its rapid spread.
Earlier, Delhi had reported a case of Mpox, but it was identified as clade 2, which is less contagious. In contrast, clade 1b has a higher transmission rate, especially within sexual networks, according to the WHO. The strain is a significant public health concern in countries neighboring the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where it has been circulating.
Formerly known as monkeypox, Mpox has long affected regions in Africa but gained international attention after a global outbreak in 2022. Since then, cases have been documented in 121 countries across all six WHO regions.
The latest WHO report from September 3, 2024, covering global data through July 31, revealed 102,997 confirmed cases, 186 probable cases, and 223 deaths. In July alone, there were 1,425 new cases and six deaths, with most originating from Africa, followed by the Americas and Europe. The South-East Asia Region accounted for just 1% of global cases.
