NEW DELHI: Delhi reported its fifth monkeypox case with a 22-year-old African woman testing positive for the infection, official sources said on Saturday.
The woman had travelled to Nigeria a month ago. She was admitted to LNJP Hospital two days ago and her reports came out on Friday night, confirming that she was positive.
She is the second woman in the national capital to contract the infection.
Four persons, including two women, are admitted to the LNJP Hospital with monkeypox while one patient was discharged from the facility.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.
According to the global health body, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis -- a virus transmitted to humans from animals -- with symptoms similar to smallpox although clinically less severe.
The disease typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.
It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.
The 'Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease' issued by the Centre, stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact.
It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesions, and indirect contact with lesion material such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person.
Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals or through bush meat preparation.
The incubation period is usually six to 13 days and the case fatality rate of monkeypox has historically ranged up to 11 per cent in the general population and higher among children.
In recent times, the case fatality rate has been around three to six per cent.
The symptoms include lesions which usually begin within one to three days from the onset of fever, lasting for around two to four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they become itchy.
A notable predilection for palm and soles is characteristic of monkeypox, the guidelines stated.