Thiruvananthapuram:

Kerala on Wednesday confirmed India’s second Mpox, or monkeypox case. The patient has been isolated, the state has said, and is being treated in accordance with established medical protocols.

Health Minister Veena George said a 38-year-old man from Malappuram had tested positive after returning from the United Arab Emirates. She said the man, on noticing symptoms, acted correctly by isolating himself from his family and was then hospitalised at the state-run Manjeri Medical College.

In a post on Facebook Ms George also urged the public to seek treatment and inform the Health Department if they displayed any of the known symptoms.

Nine days ago India reported its first case – a young man, who had travelled from western Africa – tested positive in Delhi. He too is stable and has been isolated to prevent the virus from spreading.

There is no indication of widespread risk to the public at this time, the government had said, explaining that testing had confirmed the presence of ‘clade 2’ of the virus in the country, and that this particular strain is “similar to 30 cases reported earlier in India, from July 2022 onwards”.

READ | Isolated Mpox Case In India, But Not Part Of Current Outbreak

This strain, however, is not part of the public health emergency declared last month by the World Health Organization, the government said. The WHO notification was about ‘clade 1’ of the virus.

READ | New Mpox Strain Mutating Very Rapidly. How Scientists Are Responding

A ‘clade’ refers to a biological grouping that refers to all evolutionary descendants of a common ancestor or, in this case, a particular strain of virus.

Last week the government issued directives to all state and union territories to “review public health preparedness, particularly at health facility level at state and districts by senior officials”.

READ | “Prevent Undue Panic”: Centre’s Advisory To States On Mpox

This should include briefing healthcare workers, “especially those in skin/STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinics, about symptoms, differential diagnoses, and action to be taken following detection of Mpox”, the government said.

But it is “crucial”, the government also said to guard against “undue panic…”

Also, to ensure information about Mpox and its common symptoms is available to the public, the government referred to the latest WHO update, which indicates that a majority of patients are men aged 18 to 44, and present with rash (systemic or genital) followed by fever.

And the most commonly reported mode of transmission, the government said, is sexual contact, followed by person-to-person non-sexual contact.

Mpox infections are generally self-limiting and last from two to four weeks. Patients usually recover with supportive medical care. The virus is transmitted through prolonged and close contact with an infected individual, and it typically manifests with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, officials have said.

WHO Declares Public Health Emergency

Last month the WHO declared Mpox a PHEIC, or Public Health Emergency of International Concern, based on the risk of spread of the current outbreak from beyond Africa, where a surge in cases has been reported from the Congo and other nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

There is also a new strain from the DRC, scientists said.

NDTV Explains | Mpox: What You Should Know About Latest Health Emergency

According to the WHO, so far over 120 countries have reported Mpox cases from January 2022 to August 2024. There have been over 100,000 lab-confirmed cases and around 220 deaths.

The WHO has said a vaccine can help prevent infection and that this can also be administered after a person comes in contact with an Mpox carrier. “In these cases, the vaccine should be given less than four days after contact (and) can be given for up to 14 days if the person has no symptoms…”

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New Delhi:

India on Monday reported its first confirmed case of “travel-related” Mpox, or monkeypox, in a young male who tested positive for a strain from western Africa.

The patient is in stable condition, the government has said, and is without systemic illness or comorbidities, having already been isolated over the weekend on suspicion of carrying the virus.

There is no indication of any widespread risk to the public at this time, the government said.

The government explained that testing had confirmed presence of ‘clade 2’ of the virus, and that the particular strain is “similar to 30 cases reported earlier in India, from July 2022 onwards”.

The strain of infection, however, is “not a part of the current public health emergency (declared last month by the World Health Organization), which is regarding ‘clade 1’ of the Mpox virus”.

READ | New Mpox Strain Mutating Very Rapidly. How Scientists Are Responding

A ‘clade’ refers to a biological grouping that refers to all evolutionary descendants of a common ancestor or, in this case, a particular strain of virus.

READ | India’s 1st Mpox Case? Centre Says Man Isolated, No Cause For Alarm

Earlier today the Union Health Ministry issued directives to state governments “review public health preparedness, particularly at health facility level at state and districts by senior officials”.

This should include briefing healthcare workers, “especially those working in skin/STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinics, about symptoms, differential diagnoses, and action to be taken following detection of a Mpox case”.

READ | “Prevent Undue Panic”: Centre’s Advisory To States On Mpox

But it is “crucial”, the government also said to guard against “undue panic…”

Also, to ensure information about Mpox and its common symptoms is available to the public, the government referred to the latest WHO update, which indicates that a majority of patients are men aged 18 to 44, and present with rash (systemic or genital) followed by fever.

And the most commonly reported mode of transmission, the government said, is sexual contact, followed by person-to-person non-sexual contact.

Last month the who declared Mpox a PHEIC, or Public Health Emergency of International Concern, based on the risk of spread of the current outbreak from beyond Africa, where a surge in cases has been reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. There is also a new strain from the DRC, scientists said.

Five cases have been reported from Pakistan’s Peshawar, according to Geo News.

READ | Pakistan’s Peshawar Is Mpox ‘Epicentre’? Tally Reaches 5: Report

According to the WHO, so far over 120 countries have reported Mpox cases from January 2022 to August 2024. There have been over 100,000 lab-confirmed cases and around 220 deaths.

READ | Serum Institute Says Working To Develop Monkeypox Vaccine

The WHO says a vaccine can help prevent infection and can also be administered after a person has been in contact with someone who has Mpox. “In these cases, the vaccine should be given less than four days after contact (and) can be given for up to 14 days if the person has no symptoms…”

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New Delhi:

The government on Monday recommended screening and testing of all suspected Mpox, or monkeypox patients, and isolation of confirmed cases, as well as contact tracing to “prevent and/or minimise risk of any case or death due to Mpox in the country”.

States and union territories have been urged to identify hospitals to prep isolation facilities and stand ready to receive suspected and confirmed cases, which will need increased resources.

It is “crucial”, the government also said to guard against “undue panic amongst the masses”.

To that end, the Health Ministry has recommended dissemination of guidelines on “management of monkeypox disease” and of a detailed surveillance strategy for tracking of suspected cases and contact tracing – similar to exhaustive measures at the height of the Covid pandemic.

It also offered a list of “laboratories operationalised to undertake testing, clinical management protocol, infection prevention and control practices, as well as risk communication strategies.

The ministry further called for a “review of public health preparedness, particularly at health facility level at state and districts by senior officials”.

This should include briefing healthcare workers, “especially those working in skin/STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinics, about symptoms, differential diagnoses, and action to be taken following detection of a Mpox case”.

To ensure information about Mpox and its common symptoms are widely available, the Health Ministry referred to the latest update by the World Health Organization, which indicated that a majority of monkeypox patients are men between the age of 18 and 44, and present with rash (systemic or genital) followed by fever as the most common symptoms.

Last month Mpox was declared a PHEIC, or Public Health Emergency of International Concern, by the WHO which had assessed the risk of spread of the current outbreak from beyond Africa, where a surge in cases has been reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo and also from other nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. There is also a new strain from the DRC, scientists said.

READ | Pakistan’s Peshawar Is Mpox ‘Epicentre’? Tally Reaches 5: Report

No confirmed case has been reported from India so far, although five have been reported from Pakistan, according to Geo News. The latest patient, a 47-year-old man, tested positive after being isolated by Border Health Services staff on August 29. He had returned from the Gulf region.

READ | India’s 1st Mpox Case? Centre Says Man Isolated, No Cause For Alarm

In India, a man who recently returned from a country where confirmed cases have been reported was isolated on Sunday and his samples are being tested. His conditions is reported as stable.

According to the WHO, so far over 120 countries have reported Mpox cases from January 2022 to August 2024. There have been over 100,000 lab-confirmed cases and around 220 deaths.

READ | Serum Institute Says Working To Develop Monkeypox Vaccine

The WHO says a vaccine can help prevent infection and can also be administered after a person has been in contact with someone who has Mpox. “In these cases, the vaccine should be given less than four days after contact (and) can be given for up to 14 days if the person has no symptoms…”

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Photo used for illustration purpose only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) believes the ongoing Mpox outbreaks in Africa might be stopped in the next six months, and said on Friday (August 30, 2024) that the agency’s first shipment of vaccines should arrive in Congo within days.

To date, Africa has received just a tiny fraction of the vaccines needed to slow the spread of the virus, especially in Congo, which has the most cases — more than 18,000 suspected cases and 629 deaths.

“With the governments’ leadership and close cooperation between partners, we believe we can stop these outbreaks in the next six months,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing.

He said that while mpox infections have been rising quickly in the last few weeks, there have been relatively few deaths. Tedros also noted there were 258 cases of the newest version of mpox, with patients identified in Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Sweden and Thailand.

Earlier this month, WHO declared the ongoing mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency, hoping to spur a robust global response to the disease on a continent where cases were spreading largely unnoticed for years, including in Nigeria. In May, scientists detected a new version of the disease in Congo that they think could be spreading more easily.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is related to smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms, including fever, headache and body aches. In severe cases, people can develop painful sores and blisters on the face, chest, hands and genitals. Mpox is typically spread via close skin-to-skin contact.

WHO estimated about 230,000 vaccines could be sent “imminently” to Congo and elsewhere. The agency said it was also working on education campaigns to raise awareness of how people could avoid spreading mpox in countries with outbreaks.

Maria Van Kerkhove, who directs WHO’s epidemic and pandemic diseases department, said the agency was working to expedite vaccine access for affected countries — given the limited supply available.

Scientists have previously pointed out that without a better understanding of how mpox is spreading in Africa, it may be difficult to know how best to use the shots.

Earlier this week, the head of Africa’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the continent was hoping to receive about 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines promised by donors, including the U.S. and the European Union. That’s less than 15% of the doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo.

Manila:

The Philippines has confirmed two more mpox virus infections of the milder clade 2 variety, its health ministry said Monday, bringing the number of active cases to three.

“We continue to see local transmission of mpox clade II here in the Philippines, in Metro Manila in particular,” Health Minister Teodoro Herbosa said in a statement.

The newly confirmed cases were a 37-year-old male in Metro Manila who had rash on his body last week and was brought to a government hospital, and a 32-year-old male from the capital who had skin lesions on his body.

The Philippines announced last week it had detected a case of the mpox virus’ milder variant in a 33-year-old male who had no travel history outside the Philippines.

The three cases this year means the Philippines has had 12 laboratory-confirmed case since July 2022.

The World Health Organization earlier this month declared mpox a global public health emergency, its highest form of alert, for the second time in two years, because of an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that had spread to neighbouring countries.

A new form of the virus has triggered global concern as it seems to spread easily though routine close contact.

The disease, caused by the monkeypox virus, leads to flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild but can kill, with children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, all at higher risk of complications.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The dedicated isolation ward with 14 beds at Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad. s
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Gandhi Hospital has been designated as the referral centre for suspected monkeypox cases in Telangana. The hospital has established a dedicated isolation ward with 14 beds, seven each for male and female patients.

B Ravinder Nayak, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, announced that the central government has supplied Telangana with 100 RT-PCR testing kits for monkeypox, which are now available at Gandhi Hospital’s testing lab.

“As of now, no cases have been reported in the State. However, all necessary measures are in place for early detection and management of any potential cases,” he stated.

On August 19, Minister for Health C Damodar Raja Narasimha conducted a review of the State’s preparedness for monkeypox.

Dr. Nayak added, “As a precautionary measure, the Telangana government has ensured that all hospitals are equipped and are on alert to detect, isolate, and treat any cases that may arise.”

Monkeypox symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and a rash that typically starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, progressing from flat spots to raised spots, fluid-filled blisters, and eventually scabs.

This file picture shows doses of Imvanex, a vaccine to protect against Monkeypox virus.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Thailand on Wednesday (August 21, 2024) reported a suspected first case of the new more dangerous strain of mpox, which the World Health Organization has declared a global public health emergency.

Also read:Risk of large outbreak of mpox low in India for now, says Health Ministry official

The patient is a European who travelled to Thailand from an African country, Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, head of the kingdom’s Department of Disease Control told AFP.

Laboratory tests are under way to confirm the strain, but officials believe it to be from Clade 1. The infected person has been quarantined in hospital.

“We have done a test and they definitely have mpox and it’s definitely not Clade 2,” Mr. Thongchai said..

“We are convinced the person has the Clade 1 variant, but we have to wait to see the final result in the lab for two more days.”

Mpox cases and deaths are surging in Africa, where outbreaks have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda since July.

The disease, caused by a virus transmitted by infected animals but passed from human to human through close physical contact, causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions.

While mpox has been known for decades, a new more deadly and more transmissible strain — known as Clade 1b — has driven the recent surge in cases.

Clade 1b causes death in about 3.6 percent of cases, with children more at risk, according to the WHO.

Formerly called monkeypox, the virus was discovered in 1958 in Denmark, in monkeys kept for research.

DR Congo has reported more than 16,000 cases and 500 deaths this year.

On August 15 Sweden reported the first confirmed Clade 1 case outside Africa.

Photo taken for illustration purpose onluy.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A World Health Organization official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to control its spread.

“We can and must tackle mpox together,” said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, in a media briefing.

“So will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and in the years to come will prove a critical test for Europe and the world,” he added.

Mpox, a viral infection that causes pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms, is usually mild but can kill.

Kluge said that the focus on the new clade 1 strain gives Europe a chance to refocus on the less severe clade 2 variety, including better public health advice and surveillance.

About 100 new cases of the clade 2 mpox strain are now being reported in the European region every month, added Kluge.

More than four years since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO (World Health Organization) in March 2020, fear of another mass outbreak looms large. The WHO, on August 14, declared the current upsurge of Mpox or Monkeypox in Central Africa as a global emergency requiring urgent action. The global concern for the virus grew as it spread to other African countries, and, within no time, the deadly strain of Mpox – Clade 1b – crossed the African continent to reach Sweden, Pakistan, and other countries.

The virus has killed more than 500 people so far, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease has been spreading since last year. The country saw more than 96% of the world’s roughly 17,000 recorded cases of Mpox this year.

Though India has not reported any cases yet, the Central government is keeping a close eye on the situation. Our healthcare infrastructure faced severe challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in thousands of deaths. One wouldn’t wish to be caught unawares this time.

Is Mpox As Dangerous As Covid-19 Or Swine Flu?

Mpox is a zoonotic infection that causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Fatal in some cases, the WHO first declared it a global emergency in 2022. 

Mpox virus can be categorised into two clades: Clade 1 and Clade 2. The first, which is found mainly in Central African countries, is more severe and has a high mortality rate. Clade 2 has milder symptoms and is found in western Africa. The latter caused a public health emergency in 2022, wherein some 300 cases — though mild — were reported from Sweden. This time, it’s the newer and more serious Clade 1b, identified in September last year, that has been driving the current outbreak.

Though experts worry that Mpox may be as dangerous as Covid-19 or the swine flu, there is a difference in the nature of transmission. Both Covid-19 and swine flu were highly infectious because they were airborne. In contrast, Mpox is transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, talking or breathing close to an infected person, or using their soiled clothes or bedsheets. “Mpox is unlikely to become a pandemic like Covid-19 primarily due to its mode of spread. It requires very close and physical contact, unlike the airborne SARS-CoV-2. Also, symptoms like blisters on the skin are more visible indicators and therefore, it’s easier to identify the disease and isolate a person to contain the spread,” says Rakesh K. Mishra, former director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

India’s first Mpox case was recorded in Kerala in 2022, from a traveller from the UAE. Soon, the virus spread within the country, with cases emerging in Delhi even from individuals who had no recent international travel. India reported 27 confirmed cases and one death that year, according to WHO. The last case in the country was in March this year, in Kerala, and since then, no new cases have been recorded.

How To Stay Safe

In response to the WHO’s warning, both Central and state governments have sprung into action. There are monkeypox advisories in place and public health measures are being taken. Both the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are closely monitoring the situation and reviewing international trends.

In Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has already issued alerts. Reports say that passengers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African countries are being tracked by airport health officers and port health personnel. Both Hyderabad and New Delhi — cities popular among African students pursuing higher education — have also been placed on high alert.

The Need For Vaccines

The first Mpox strain was isolated by ICMR researchers in 2022. Pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers are being called upon to develop vaccines and testing kits for the virus. Existing vaccines for smallpox and chickenpox might also offer protection in India. 

About other prevention strategies, Mishra says, “It is important to closely monitor the spread of the disease in different countries and be ready for screening by already available methods of DNA-based diagnostics. There is an effective vaccine already available but supply of that may not be easy to ensure.”  

“Simple practices like avoiding close physical contact with suspected/potentially infected person, maintaining distance from people with symptoms, and wearing a mask, should be effective in containing the spread of the infection,” Mishra adds. 

Developed nations, mostly those in Europe, already have vaccines available for those at greater risk of monkeypox. And given the high quality of healthcare there, containing the disease will be less challenging. It’s underdeveloped African countries, which have neither vaccines nor the resources to buy them, that remain at most risk and which need the most help. 

(Bharti Mishra Nath is Contributing Editor, NDTV)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

New Delhi:
The World Health Organization has declared that an outbreak of mpox, a viral infection that spreads through close contact, represents a global health emergency for the second time in two years. Mpox causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions.

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