A suspected case of monkeypox has been reported in Kerala’s Malappuram district after a man, who recently returned from abroad, began showing symptoms of the disease. The man was initially admitted to a private hospital but was later transferred to the state-run Manjeri Medical College when doctors suspected monkeypox. His samples have been sent to Kozhikode Medical College for testing, and the results are awaited to confirm the strain.
If confirmed, this will be the second monkeypox case in the country. Earlier this week, a 26-year-old man in Haryana, who recently traveled from a country experiencing an outbreak, tested positive for the infection. He has been isolated in a facility, and his condition is stable. The patient has been confirmed to have the Clade II strain of the monkeypox virus.
The Centre has issued an advisory to all states and Union territories, urging them to screen and test suspected Mpox cases within the community and identify isolation facilities in hospitals for both suspected and confirmed patients. In a letter to the states, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra emphasized the importance of preventing panic. “While all States are requested to undertake appropriate activities to make communities aware about the disease, its mode of spread, need for timely reporting and preventive measures, it is crucial that any undue panic amongst the masses is prevented,” the advisory stated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Mpox a public health emergency and has prequalified the MVA-BN vaccine, developed by Bavarian Nordic A/S, as the first approved vaccine against monkeypox. “The prequalification approval is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to this vital product in communities with urgent need, to reduce transmission and help contain the outbreak,” the WHO said in an official statement.
There are two distinct strains of the virus—Clade I and Clade II. Clade I has been responsible for the recent surge in cases in Central and Eastern African countries, which WHO has categorized as a public health emergency. However, Clade II, which has been linked to the earlier 30 cases reported in India since July 2022, is not part of the current global health emergency. The Union Health Ministry confirmed that the recent cases are isolated and not linked to the global outbreak of Clade I. “This case is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards, and is not a part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO) which is regarding Clade I of Mpox,” the ministry stated.