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Monkeypox in India: 9 cases - 4 from Delhi, 5 Kerala- so far; Vaccine in focus | 10 points
Cases of monkeypox have been reported in other parts of the world too, especially across the US and Europe, sparking concerns at a time when the world is still fighting the Covid-19 menace.
Delhi has reported the fourth case of monkeypox, taking India's tally of the viral disease to nine so far. The fresh case came to light after a 31-year-old Nigerian woman tested positive for the disease, becoming the first woman in the country to be diagnosed with the viral infection. Out of the total of 9 cases, 4 cases are from Delhi while the remaining five have been reported from Kerala. Cases of monkeypox have been reported in other parts of the world too, especially across the US and Europe, sparking concerns at a time when the world is still fighting the Covid-19 menace.
Read more | Monkeypox: Health ministry lists dos and don'ts on viral disease. Read here
Here's what we know about monkeypox so far:
1. The woman has been admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital and does not have a history of foreign travel, just like the previous three patients. Two other monkeypox patients, also Nigerians, are being treated at the facility, which is Delhi’s nodal hospital for people diagnosed with the infection.
2. The first patient who was found to be infected with monkeypox in Delhi was discharged from the LNJP Hospital on Monday.
3. Meanwhile, the health ministry on Wednesday released a list of dos and don'ts on the viral disease. Among other things, the Centre has recommended the use of hand sanitizers, washing of hands with soap, and covering one's mouth with a mask as measures to stop the disease from spreading.
4. The Centre has also advised against sharing sharing linen, beddings, clothes, towels etc. with people who have tested positive for monkeypox. It has also warned people not to attend public events even if they exhibit symptoms of the disease.
5.As states have begun preparations to intensify surveillance and isolation of suspected and confirmed cases of the disease, health minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently held a meeting with Adar Poonawalla, the chief executive officer of Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), to discuss the possibility of a vaccine being developed for the disease.
6. Speaking of his meeting with Mandaviya, Poonawalla was quoted as telling news agency ANI: “My meeting went well like always. All preparations for the vaccine are being done. I briefed the minister on this. We are researching the possible ways to develop a vaccine for monkeypox."
7. The parliament was also informed that the government has begun the process of developing testing kits and inoculations.
8. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern. The global health body said monkeypox is a viral zoonosis -- a virus transmitted to humans from animals -- with symptoms similar to smallpox although clinically less severe.
9. Monkeypox which typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes is said to be a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.
10. More than 75 countries have reported outbreaks of the viral disease with confirmed cases crossing 25,000. Some of the countries where the viral disease outbreak has been reported include Brazil, Spain, US, Japan, France, Germany, Israel and the UEA.
