India reports fourth monkeypox case, first in national capital Delhi

A 34-year-old from the Indian capital New Delhi with no history of foreign travel is the fourth person in the country to test positive for monkeypox, the Press Trust of India reported.

The infection comes as India ramps up screening for the virus amid rising cases in Europe and the US.

The World Health Organisation declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in a controversial and divided ruling on Saturday (July 23).

Officials from the federal health ministry could not be reached for comment outside of business hours.

The patient suffering from the disease has been admitted to a government hospital in the capital city, and has no record of recent foreign travel.

According to hospital sources, the patient had a fever and skin lesions, though remaining stable.

Three cases of monkeypox were previously reported from the southern Indian state of Kerala, PTI said. They had all arrived in Kerala days before testing positive for monkeypox.

So far, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported globally from 75 countries and regions, with five reported deaths, WHO data showed.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES