Key Takeaways

• Local transmission was noted in one person.About the AuthorNeha MadaanNeha Madaan is a senior feature writer at The Times of India, Pune.
• The researchers studied patients' symptoms, viral load, immune response and the full genetic sequences of the virus.
• She holds an M A degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from University of Pune.

Key Development 1

NewsIndia NewsMonkey pox strain links Kerala cases to foreign travel: StudyTrendingNitin NabinWPL 2026RRB Group d recruitmentWPL Schedule 2026IBPS Clerk Prelims resultICC Mens T20 WC 2026 ScheduleGovernor R N RaviBengaluru WeatherNitin NabinWPL 2026RRB Group d recruitmentWPL Schedule 2026IBPS Clerk Prelims resultICC Mens T20 WC 2026 ScheduleGovernor R N RaviBengaluru WeatherNitin NabinWPL 2026RRB Group d recruitmentWPL Schedule 2026IBPS Clerk Prelims resultICC Mens T20 WC 2026 ScheduleGovernor R N RaviBengaluru WeatherMonkey pox strain links Kerala cases to foreign travel: StudyNeha Madaan / TNN / Jan 21, 2026, 02:42 ISTCommentsShareAA+Text SizeSmallMediumLarge PUNE: A first-of-its-kind genetic study of a newer and more stubborn Mpox variant detected in Kerala has now linked those cases to international travel and revealed signs of continued human-to-human transmission.

The study of Mpox Clade Ib, which has now been driving outbreaks in parts of Africa and has now since showed up in several countries outside the continent, showed that it is prone to spreading faster and wider than older variants of the virus, necessitating enhanced surveillance.The study, led by researchers from Pune's ICMR-National Institute of Virology and teams from Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories across India, focused on 10 lab-confirmed cases of Mpox Clade Ib in Kerala between Sept 2024 and March 2025.

Local transmission was noted in one person.About the AuthorNeha MadaanNeha Madaan is a senior feature writer at The Times of India, Pune.

She covers tourism, heritage development and its conservation, apart from an array of subjects such as civic issues, environment, astronomy, civic school education as well as social issues concerning persons with disabilities.

Key Development 2

The researchers studied patients' symptoms, viral load, immune response and the full genetic sequences of the virus.

"The study confirmed the Mpox virus is indeed mutating, as we found a distinctive mutational pattern that signals sustained human-to-human transmission," a researcher said.Scientists found the mutation pattern stronger in Clade Ib than in older forms of the virus, suggesting it continues to adapt while circulating.

She holds an M A degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from University of Pune.

The findings, published in the journal Virology, indicate active viral evolution with implications for disease surveillance and public health preparedness.

Key Development 3

Epidemiological analysis showed nine of the 10 patients had travelled abroad prior to testing positive for the strain.

The findings showed that the virus arrived in India not through one carrier but as part of a wider regional spread linked to international travel.

"The sequences also carried mutations in several genes that had earlier been identified as hotspots in Clade Ib strains from the Democratic Republic of Congo, pointing to evolutionary convergence across different regions," a scientist involved in the study said.A new mutation was detected in six of the 10 cases.

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Key Development 4

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