Kathmandu, Feb. 12 -- Nepal no longer has to send specimens of mpox-infected persons abroad for clade identification tests, as the National Public Health Laboratory has started conducting these tests in its own lab.

Previously, due to the lack of services in the country, the Ministry of Health and Population had to send specimens to the World Health Organisation's collaborating centre in India or other countries including China (Hong Kong), Thailand, and the UK.

Recently, the Health Ministry sent specimens from two mpox-infected persons to the WHO collaborating centre in Thailand for clade identification tests.

"We have started conducting clade identification tests in our own laboratory," said Dr Ranjan Raj Bhatta, director of the labo...