Delhi records three more monkeypox cases, tally rises to 12

A 30-year-old Nigerian woman who had recently tested positive for the viral infection, was the ninth reported case in the national capital

Three more cases of monkeypox have been reported in the national capital, taking the infection tally in the city to 12, official sources said on Thursday.

Five monkeypox patients are presently admitted at the LNJP Hospital, a source said.

A 30-year-old Nigerian woman, who had recently tested positive for the viral infection, was the ninth reported case here.

"Twelve positive cases of monkeypox have been reported so far here. Five patients are presently admitted at LNJP Hospital. No suspected patient is admitted there at present," the source said.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease having common symptoms such as fever, skin lesions, lymphadenopathy, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, chills or sweats, and sore throat and cough.

On Sunday, a suspected monkeypox patient, a 30-year-old Nigerian man, was admitted to the state-run hospital and his reports were awaited, officials had earlier said.

According to a study done recently by the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), patients in the first five cases showed "mild to moderate grade intermittent fever, myalgia (muscle pain) and lesions on the genitals, groins, lower limb, trunk and upper limb.

Four of these cases had non-tender firm lymphadenopathy (swelling of lymph nodes). No secondary complications or sexually transmitted infections were recorded in these cases except for Hepatitis B in one case, it had said.

In Delhi, the first case of monkeypox was reported on July 24. The LNJP Hospital has been made the nodal facility to treat patients with viral infection.