"Due to the global health situation announced due to the mpox outbreak, we are working on developing a vaccine for this disease. We hope that a positive result will be achieved by the end of this year," said SII Director Adara Punawalla.

The National Institute of Virology in Pune has become the leading medical institution in India for the study of mrox samples, which has been ongoing since 2022, when 30 cases of monkey pox were reported in India, Med.News reports.

Earlier this week, the Indian government ordered increased vigilance at the country's borders due to the risk of spreading mpox. Surveillance of incoming foreigners for possible symptoms of the disease has increased at airports, seaports and on the border with Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Since the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of monkey pox in July 2022 as a public health emergency of international concern, the last case of mpox infection in India was identified in March 2024. According to the office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there are currently no monkeys with smallpox in the country.

Smallpox of monkeys is a rare viral disease, the symptoms of which are fever, intoxication, enlarged lymph nodes and a rash in the form of spots, followed by the formation of bubbles, when opened, ulcers form. The infectious disease lasts for two to four weeks with independent recovery, however, severe cases of the disease with a fatal outcome occur.