India reports first case of 'Mpox Clade 1b' strain in Kerala

India has confirmed its first case of the Mpox Clade 1b strain, which recently prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the virus a public health emergency for the second time in a year.

Official sources reported that the case was detected in a 38-year-old man from Malappuram district, Kerala, who had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates. The patient, who tested positive last week, is currently in stable condition.

“This was the first case of the current strain that led to the WHO declaring Mpox a public health emergency last month,” the sources stated on Monday. This marks a new chapter in India’s ongoing efforts to contain the virus, as the country had previously reported 30 cases of Mpox since the WHO’s first declaration in 2022.