India Confirms First Case of Highly Transmissible Mpox Clade 1b

A 38-year-old man in Kerala tests positive for the new strain after traveling from Dubai, prompting increased surveillance and monitoring.

The case was detected in Kerala and involves a man who recently returned from Dubai.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency in August 2024.
Health officials are monitoring 29 close contacts and 37 flight passengers; none have shown symptoms so far.
The new Clade 1b strain is more severe and has spread to several countries outside Africa, including Sweden and Thailand.
India has set up 35 laboratories for mpox testing and increased airport surveillance to prevent further transmission.