Contact of first patient of monkeypox in Delhi complains of body ache

NEW DELHI: One of the contacts of the monkeypox-infected resident of Delhi has complained of body ache and is being monitored to check for any other symptoms, sources said on Tuesday. The west Delhi man, who was the first reported monkeypox case in the capital, is currently recovering in the isolation ward of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital here. His vitals are stable but his lesions will take at least a week to recover.

Sources said there are 14 primary contacts of the patient. Four of his family members are in isolation at their west Delhi residence and have not shown any symptoms till now. One of his friends, who came in contact with him, has said he was experiencing body ache and is self-monitoring himself. He has not shown any other symptoms till now, they said.

“He has complained of body ache but it is not the only symptom of the infection. He has not displayed the major symptoms of the infection like fever, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes till now. He is in home isolation and our team is keeping a close watch on him,” sources said.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in smallpox patients, although clinically less severe. It typically presents itself with fever, headache, rashes for up to three weeks, sore throat, cough and swollen lymph nodes. The symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one to three days of the onset of fever, last for around two to four weeks, and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they turn itchy.