Suspected Mpox Case Reported in Delhi: Patient Isolated and Stable
A suspected case of Mpox has been reported in Delhi involving a man who recently returned to India from abroad, according to a release from the Union Health Ministry. The patient is currently in isolation at a designated hospital and is stable. Samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox.
The Ministry stated, “The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country.” The Ministry also mentioned that this development aligns with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and assured that there is no cause for undue concern. The country is fully prepared to handle such isolated travel-related cases with robust measures in place.
Global Mpox Situation
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been a public health issue in parts of Africa for many years but resurfaced as a global concern in 2022. Since January 1, 2022, Mpox cases have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from 121 member states across all six WHO regions. According to the WHO Mpox report dated September 3, 2024, a total of 102,997 laboratory-confirmed cases and 186 probable cases, including 223 deaths, have been reported globally up to July 31, 2024. In July 2024 alone, 1,425 cases and six deaths were reported, with more than half of these cases from the African region (55%), followed by the American region (24%) and the European region (11%). The South-East Asia Region reported 1% of the total cases.
Doubts Revealed
Mpox -: Mpox is a disease that used to be called monkeypox. It can cause fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. It is caused by a virus and can spread from animals to humans and between humans.
Isolation -: Isolation means keeping someone who is sick away from other people to stop the disease from spreading. The patient stays in a special room or area until they are better.
Union Health Ministry -: The Union Health Ministry is a part of the Indian government that takes care of health-related issues in the country. They make sure people stay healthy and manage health emergencies.
Contact tracing -: Contact tracing is a way to find and talk to people who may have been near someone with a disease. This helps stop the disease from spreading by telling those people to watch for symptoms and stay away from others if needed.
Protocols -: Protocols are special rules or plans that tell people what to do in certain situations. In this case, they are steps to follow to handle the Mpox case and keep everyone safe.
