India on Monday reported its first case of mpox involving the fast-spreading clade 1b strain, marking South Asia’s first recorded case of the new variant, reports Reuters.
Health Ministry spokesperson Manisha Verma confirmed the strain after the news agency ANI cited official sources stating that the case detected in Kerala’s Malappuram district last week was linked to clade 1b.
The patient, a 38-year-old man who recently traveled from the United Arab Emirates, was admitted to the government medical college hospital in Malappuram, according to Kerala authorities. The state’s health department has yet to provide additional details.
Although India had previously recorded around 30 mpox cases from the older clade 2 strain, this is the first case involving the more virulent clade 1b. The government had recently issued an advisory to all states to remain vigilant and prepared for potential cases following the rapid spread of the clade 1b variant globally.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency earlier this year after clade 1b, first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, began spreading to neighboring countries.
Mpox typically spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, but unlike COVID-19, it does not easily transmit through the air. The infection causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, and while usually mild, it can be fatal.