This situation aligns with the earlier risk assessment by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).Officials stress there is no cause for alarm, stating, “the country is well-prepared to handle isolated travel-related cases.” They also asserted that robust measures are in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed between humans through close physical contact. It can sometimes be deadly, causing fever, muscular aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.
The World Health Organization declared an international emergency on August 14 due to a surge in cases of the Clade 1b strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which then spread to nearby countries. A vaccination campaign against Mpox in Congo will begin on October 2.
The 2022 epidemic was caused by Clade 2, which is still circulating in many countries, including in the West. However, the current epidemic in DRC is caused by the Clade 1 strain, and the situation has become more complicated with the emergence of a new version, variant 1b.
“The danger and level of contagion of the variant are difficult to assess,” said the WHO, noting that cases due to Clade 1b have increased rapidly, but “relatively few deaths have been reported.”
The virus, discovered in 1958 in Denmark in monkeys kept for research, was first identified in humans in 1970 in Zaire, now known as DRC.
Authorities in India continue to monitor the situation closely and are taking all necessary measures to prevent any potential spread. Contact tracing remains a critical tool in identifying and isolating any further cases.
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