Amid fears over a potential mpox global outbreak, India held a high-level meeting on Sunday (Aug 18) to assess its preparedness. The latest assessment presented at the crucial meeting led by the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, P K Mishra, shows that since March 2024, the nation has had no reports of cases of mpox.

India's mpox update: India safe, no new cases since March; high-level meeting finds ‘low outbreak risk’

The Union Health Ministry has asked all airports as well as authorities at land ports on borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan to remain alert about incoming international passengers reporting Mpox symptoms, official sources said on Sunday.

Mpox scare: Indian govt tells international airports to be vigilant about passengers with symptoms

An outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has claimed more than 500 lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as per reports. The virus, which is rapidly spreading to neighbouring countries, has prompted fears of a global health crisis, even as over seven million displaced high-risk people in the DRC await vaccine.

Mpox crisis: WHO pushes for scaling up mpox vaccine production as death toll in DRC nears 550

First cases of mpox have been detected outside of Africa with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the recent outbreak of the disease as a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant of the virus was identified.

Mpox crisis updates: Pakistan adopts safety measures; WHO says no need to close borders