Mpox: Be careful! Fast spreading MPOX strain found in India, Health Ministry on alert

New Delhi: The first case of Clade 1B strain of monkeypox (ampox) has been confirmed in the country. A 38-year-old man from Kerala, who recently returned from UAE, showed symptoms of ampox, after which the sample was sent for examination. Clade 1B strain has been confirmed in the investigation. Due to this strain, there was a rapid increase in the cases of ampox in African countries. After that, WHO declared a public health emergency. At the same time, Clade 2 strain was confirmed in the sample of a 26-year-old youth from Hisar, who was confirmed to have ampox at LNJP Hospital in Delhi. More cases of Clade 1B have been reported in many countries of Africa. In July 2022, the Clade-2 strain of ampox came, in which the mortality rate was 0.1 percent and this time the mortality rate in Clade-1 is being estimated to be up to 3 percent. However, only two cases have been confirmed in India so far and the condition of the youth from Kerala is also said to be stable. The patient admitted in Delhi hospital has also recovered now. Sources say that many countries in Africa are affected by ampox.