Lab result negative for suspected monkeypox patient in UP's Noida

A suspected case of monkeypox was reported in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, adjoining Delhi, but the patient's laboratory results turned out to be negative, health department officials said on Wednesday.

According to officials, the patient is a 47-year-old woman who approached the health department on Tuesday, after which her samples were taken.

"The samples have been sent for a test to Lucknow, and the patient is in home isolation at the moment. Monkeypox can be confirmed only after the test results are out," a local health official had said.

The woman, who lives in Greater Noida and is a school teacher, had fever, body ache along with rashes for the past few days, symptoms similar to those exhibited by monkeypox patients, according to officials.

On Wednesday evening, Noida Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sunil Kumar Sharma said, "the lab report of the suspected case reported yesterday is available now. It is negative for monkeypox."

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting two to four weeks. It typically presents itself with fever, headache, rashes, sore throat, cough and swollen lymph nodes.

India has so far recorded four cases of monkeypox, three in Kerala and one in Delhi.