Delhi has reported India’s first confirmed case of mpox, as a 26-year-old male patient from Hisar, Haryana, was admitted to the Lok Nayak Jay Prakash (LNJP) Hospital. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj confirmed the diagnosis during a surprise inspection of the hospital on Tuesday, where he evaluated the facility’s preparedness for managing mpox and dengue cases.
The patient, who has a travel history to a country experiencing ongoing mpox transmission, is currently isolated in a designated ward at LNJP Hospital. According to health officials, he exhibits only genital ulcers and skin rashes, with no accompanying fever. The patient was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and is reported to be in stable condition.
“The individual, a young male who recently travelled from a country experiencing ongoing mpox transmission, is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness or comorbidities,” the ministry had said.
Minister Bharadwaj reassured the public, stating that there is no need to panic, as mpox is transmitted through direct contact rather than airborne means. The Union Health Ministry has classified the case as “isolated” and indicated that there is no immediate risk to the general public.
The LNJP Hospital has been designated as the nodal facility for mpox treatment, equipped with 20 isolation rooms, including 10 specifically for confirmed cases. Two additional hospitals, Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital and Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, are on standby, each with 10 isolation rooms for confirmed cases and five for suspected cases.
“Separate rooms are available at the hospital for dengue patients. We have reviewed how will the doctors identify a dengue patient if they come in emergency and then how they will be shifted to a different ward,” Bharadwaj said and added similar surprise inspections of other hospitals will be conducted by him.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to its spread across various regions in Africa. As the situation develops, the health authorities in Delhi continue to monitor and respond to potential cases.
(With PTI inputs)
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