All contacts of Maharashtra’s first Mpox patient test negative

The patient – a man, 48, from Hazar Kholi in Dhule district – was diagnosed with Mpox on October 7, marking the state’s first such confirmed case

In a breather for Maharashtra’s health authorities, all contacts of the state’s first confirmed monkeypox (Mpox) patient have tested negative for the infection, officials said on Sunday. The results were confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.

Samples of the patient’s close contacts — his wife (37) and son (9) — were tested at NIV on October 7, and returned negative on October 10. “Both family members tested negative for Mpox,” said Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director of health services. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The patient – a man, 48, from Hazar Kholi in Dhule district – was diagnosed with Mpox on October 7, marking the state’s first such confirmed case. Officials said that the patient had developed Mpox symptoms on September 15 while in Saudi Arabia, where he received treatment for 15 days. After returning to India on October 2, he developed vesicular and pustular lesions and was admitted to Shri Bhausaheb Hire Government Medical College (SBHGMC), Dhule, on October 3. His blood samples were sent to NIV, Pune, on October 5 and the report received on October 7 confirmed Mpox infection. The patient remains stable and is in isolation at the SBHGMC. He will be discharged only after testing negative, officials said.

Following the confirmation, the state public health department launched an extensive contact-tracing and surveillance drive in Dhule. Samples of the patient’s close contacts — his wife (37) and son (9) — were tested at NIV on October 7, and returned negative on October 10. “Both family members tested negative for Mpox,” said Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director of health services.

In addition, six co-passengers who had travelled from Saudi Arabia to Mumbai with the patient were traced and monitored. They included two passengers from Malegaon and one each from Mumbai, Dhule, Nagpur, and Aurangabad. All remain stable and asymptomatic, officials said.

Dr Raju Sule, state surveillance officer, said, “The patient’s samples were tested three times, and all results confirmed Mpox infection. The latest report, received on October 25, again tested positive for the viral disease.” Furthermore, field surveillance and health surveys were conducted in the patient’s locality while the Dhule Municipal Corporation implemented containment measures. “No local transmission has been detected so far,” officials emphasised.

Dr Sangale has urged citizens not to panic and to remain cautious while travelling abroad. “The situation is under control. All contacts have tested negative, and there is no evidence of local transmission,” he said.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that primarily occurs in the tropical rainforest regions of central and west Africa but can spread to other areas through travel. It typically causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, and can occasionally lead to complications. The infection spreads through close contact with infected individuals or animals, and the virus can enter the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, or mucous membranes.