Delhi's 1st monkeypox case: 31-year-old man with with no foreign travel history

Delhi today reported its first monkeypox case as a 31-year-old man with no foreign travel history was diagnosed with the disease. This is the fourth monkeypox case reported in India with the previous three cases being reported from Kerala, NDTV reported.

The man had attended a party in Manali in Himachal Pradesh, news agency PTI reported citing sources.

The West Delhi resident was hospitalised with symptoms of the disease three days ago, it said, adding that his samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology yesterday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal confirmed that the disease was detected in the city, while asserting there's no need to panic.

"The first case of Monkeypox was detected in Delhi. The patient is stable and recovering. There's no need to panic. The situation is under control. We have made a separate isolation ward at LNJP. Our best team is on the case to prevent the spread and protect Delhiites," said Mr Kejriwal.

Two-three suspected samples were coming every week in Mumbai, but these days the frequency has increased to two-three per day, sources told NDTV.

Sixteen laboratories are dedicated for monkeypox, including two only for Kerala.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus with symptoms similar to the smallpox, but less severe. The virus transmission occurs from infected animals to humans via direct or indirect contact. It can also be transmitted from humans to humans through direct contact with the infected person's skin or lesions, and respiratory droplets.

So far, more than 16,000 monkeypox cases have been reported from 75 countries across the world. Five deaths have also been reported in Africa.

Apart from India, only one such case has been reported from the WHO's South-East Asia Region - in Thailand, according to NDTV.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency - the highest alarm it can sound.

Three teenage girls found hanging in Jhapa

Three teenage girls were found hanging in a tree in Kachankawal Rural Municipality of Jhapa district on Sunday.

DSP Basanta Pathak of the District Police Office, Jhapa said that the three girls committed suicide by hanging themselves in a tree at Sunkoshi Tea Farm in Ballegaun of Pathamari, Kachankawal Rural Municipality-5.

Those who committed suicide have been identified as Karina (16), daughter of Pancham Ganesh, Anjali (17), daughter of Puwali Ganesh and Kalpana (16), daughter of Birbal Ganesh of Kachankawal-5.

According to locals, all of them had gone missing from the house since Saturday afternoon.

Locals informed police after they found the trio found hanging in a tree at around 7 am today.

All of them used to work at the tea garden.

Police said that they are looking into the case.

Floods kill at least 22 in Southern Iran

At least 22 people were killed in flash floods caused by heavy rains in Iran's southern province of Fars, a provincial official said on Saturday, Reuters reported.

There was at least one person missing, said Khalil Abdollahi, head of the province's crisis management department, quoted by the semi-official news agency Tasnim.

He said 55 people had been rescued in the flood which submerged 15 cars.

The governor of Fars province declared Sunday a day of mourning, state media said, according to Reuters.

 

Oak Fire: Emergency declared as wildfire rages near Yosemite National Park

A wildfire near Yosemite National Park in California is spreading quickly, threatening thousands of homes, BBC reported.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) described it as being "zero per cent under control" on Saturday morning. 

"Explosive fire behaviour is challenging firefighters", Cal Fire reported on Saturday.

Central and North Eastern regions of the US are also sweltering under extreme heat. 

Temperatures of 38C (100.4 F) are forecast in Washington DC and Dallas, with New York only slightly cooler.

Dubbed the Oak Fire, the blaze in California started on Friday afternoon local time and quickly exploded in size. Thousands of people have been told to evacuate, according to BBC.

Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires. 

The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions, BBC reported.