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Since 2023, Mpox has been trembling the world and the worry has now reached India. The first suspect patient has been kept in isolation. Mpox known as Clade 1b, began in Central Africa. The World Health Organisation WHO has declared Mpox as a public health emergency in August 2024. Since the beginning of 2022, 102977 cases have been confirmed throughout the world due to MPXV clade I and Clade II, where 219 deaths have been reported in 121 countries.
The man who returned to India from the mpox-infected country is now the suspect. He has been identified with the symptoms. The Ministry of Health on Sunday said that the person has been isolated in a hospital. This is the first suspect in the country and currently the samples have been sent for testing.
The Indian government is following the protocol and tracing the potential sources over the direct contact of the person.
The Health Ministry said that the country is ready to face the circumstances and prepared to deal with the isolated travel measures. Thailand was the first country to report the first mpox in Asia and the patient was infected with a deadly strain. He returned with the virus from Africa. Thailand laboratory has tested and confirmed that the 66 year old person is infected with the mpox clade 1b variant. Not only Thailand, but Pakistan also reported the first case of mpox, in a person who returned from the Gulf country. UNICEF announced the health emergency over the mpox vaccines on August 31st. The agency said that more than 18,000 suspected mpox cases have been reported in Congo, where the virus was born.
The only concern with mpox is, it spreads very easily from one to one. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that mpox is very easily transmitted from one to one just through close contact with infected persons, contaminated materials and also with infected animals.
Sadly the virus can also transfer to the fetus in the womb for pregnant women during birth or just after birth.
Common symptoms for mpox:
Skin rash or mucosal lesions accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. Some have only one or two lesions, whereas few can get hundreds.
Transmission:
Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with the infected person or even with the materials or infected animals.
Treatment:
Mpox has vaccines and India is prepared with them. Mpox can be treated with supportive care for the symptoms. Primary infection can be very easily cured, whereas secondary infections and treatment of common infections including HIV are also available.
