First Mpox case reported in India; health ministry urges people to not panic

NEW DELHI: A man, who recently arrived from abroad, was found to be having mpox symptoms and is now undergoing treatment. The patient is now stable and the health ministry assured people to not worry.

Mpox, commonly known as monkeypox, was an alarming health issue in Africa for many years before resurfacing back in 2022. More than 14,500 mpox cases and more than 450 deaths have been reported in Africa since January. Most of these cases and deaths are in DR Congo. Central African Republic, Republic of Congo and Cameroon are other African countries where the spread of the disease is strong.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global health emergency due to the alarming rise in the disease. The WHO has issued a warning after a severe variant of mpox was detected.

• mpox virus was first identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958
• With this, the virus got the name monkeypox. In November 2022, the WHO renamed it as mpox
• It was first discovered in humans in 1970 in the Congo
• Not only monkeys, squirrels and rats are also carriers of monkeypox viruses
• mpox virus, found only in Africa, has spread to European countries since early May 2022, followed by the US, South America, the Middle East, and Australia.
• Rarely, monkeypox cases turn serious. Although not life-threatening, the disease warrants attention.
• The disease can be spread through bodily fluids, wounds, and clothing used by the patient

Symptoms

Fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, headache, small bumps on the body similar to chicken pox.