24 Sept 2024 • India on Monday reported its first case of MPOX clade 1 case, the strain that prompted the WHO to declare a public health emergency, in Kerala's Malappuram.

While another person was found to have the infection in Delhi earlier this month, it was a Clade II infection. The Clade 1b strain has a mortality rate of 3 percent, which is much higher than the 0.2 percent mortality rate associated with the Clade IIb version reported in 2022.

The patient is a a 38-year-old man and recently traveled in from the United Arab Emirates and is reportedly stable. Kerala Health Minister Veena George had already appealed to the public, especially those returning from abroad to watch out for the symptoms. She also urged the public to inform the health department and seek treatment at the earliest as well.

Source: The Week | Read full story