The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has issued guidelines for handling patients with suspected Monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms.
In a notification as reported by ANI, the premier medical institute issued standard operating procedure (SOP) which details the necessary steps to handle Monkeypox cases at the AIIMS emergency department.
The World Health Organisation, which declared Mpox a global health emergency last week, said it is not another Covid-19 as much is already known about the virus and the means to control it.
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Here are the SOPs issued by AIIMS on Mpox cases:-
1. The AIIMS stated that patients with fever, rash, or a history of contact with confirmed Monkeypox cases should be flagged for immediate assessment.
2. The medics have been asked to identify key symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen nymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and characteristic skin lesions.
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3. The suspected patients should be immediately placed in a designated isolation area to minimise contact with other patients and staff.
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4. AIIMS Delhi notified AB-7 beds no 33, 34, 35 and 36 for isolating the Monkeypox patients.
5. According to the advisory, these beds will be allotted to the Monkeypox patients on the recommendation of the emergency chief medical officer and treated by the medicine department.
6. The AIIMS guidelines has asked the officials of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) with contact no. 8745011784 when a suspected Monkeypox case is identified.
7. The IDSP team should be provided with the patient's details, brief history, clinical findings and contact details.
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8. The AIIMS notified that Safdarjung Hospital has been designated for managing and treating Monkeypox patients. Any patient suspected of having Monkeypox should be referred to Safdarjung Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
9. The AIIMS management has earmarked a dedicated ambulance to shift the patients to Safdarjung Hospital. The Emergency staff has to inform the ambulance coordinator on the mobile number 8929683898 to shift the suspected Monkeypox patient, the notification stated.
10. All the patients have to be handled with strict infection control measures. The staff has been asked to use personal protective equipment when dealing with suspected cases. The proper documentation of the patients' details, symptoms and referral process have to be maintained, the AIIMS notification stated.