The central government said on Sunday that investigations were underway for a suspected Mpox case, with the patient under isolation. There is “no cause for alarm”, an official statement read.
‘A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox (monkeypox) transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of Mpox. The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable,” the statement said.
The government said that samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox.
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, it said.
“The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the NCDC and there is no cause of any undue concern. The country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related case and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk,” it added.
What is Mpox and how severe is it?
Previously known as monkeypox, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
There are two distinct clades of the virus:
- Clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib)
- Clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb)
In 2022–2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by the clade IIb strain.
Is Mpox deadly?
Mpox continues to be a threat today, and an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries caused by clades Ia and Ib has raised concern, according to the WHO.
There are vaccines for Mpox. Vaccination should be considered along with other public health interventions.
Symptoms of Mpox
Common symptoms of Mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2-4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes, according to the WHO.
How does Mpox spread?
Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals, according to the WHO. During pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the fetus, or to the newborn during or after birth.
Mpox treatment
Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present.
