A 5-year-old boy in Ghaziabad, UP, has become the first suspect of the deadly monkeypox virus in India. According to the reports, the child has symptoms associated with the monkeypox virus, such as rashes and itching. 

UP Deputy CM and Health Minister, Mr. Brajesh Pathak stated that samples have been collected and sent to ICMR NIV, Pune. He also noted that no monkeypox cases have been reported in India so far and urged people not to panic at the moment. According to the guidelines released by the Government of India, a confirmed laboratory test using PCR sequencing is necessary to determine positive case status. 

Monkeypox has been reported as an endemic in several other countries such as Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria.