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States up monkeypox screening, surveillance
In India, three cases were reported from Kerala while one was reported in Delhi.
Several states ramped up screening and surveillance for monkeypox cases on Monday, with four cases of the viral zoonotic disease reported across the country since July 18.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis — a virus transmitted to humans from animals — with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients.The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared its outbreak as a global emergency since around 68 countries are reporting a total of 16,000 cases so far.
In India, three cases were reported from Kerala while one was reported in Delhi.
The Union health ministry had issued an advisory on July 18 when the first case was reported from Kannur in Kerala. The ministry had asked all states/UTs to ramp up vigil and create dedicated monkeypox wards. Last week, the ministry had reviewed the screening procedure of international travellers arriving into India.
In New Delhi, where the first monkeypox case was reported on Sunday, the government has decided to strengthen surveillance and dedicated isolation beds in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash hospital. The 34-year-old man inflected with the disease had no travel history and had attended a stag-party in Manali, according to officials tracking the case. So far, nine of his contacts have been isolated, officials said.
In Uttar Pradesh, officials on Monday said they have rolled out measures to identify suspected cases and treat them to control any possible spread of infection.
“If people think they have monkeypox-like symptoms, they should seek advice from health care providers and contact the chief medical officer of the district concerned,” said state health surveillance officer Vikasendu Agarwal.
Covid-19 health facilities across the state have been asked to keep 10 beds reserved for monkeypox cases, in case patients need admission, said a government statement, adding that screening of international travellers at airports has already been intensified.
In Kerala, health minister Veena George said healthcare professionals and workers in the state have been given training to identify and deal with monkeypox cases. She said all the three patients in the state are stable and there was no reason to panic.
“There is nothing to be concerned or worried about monkeypox, as testing and surveillance have been intensified across the state and those among the primary contacts of the three infected persons in the state have tested negative,” she said on Monday.
After the outbreak of cases in Kerala, the Karnataka government had decided to speed up surveillance and had instructed all the districts to ensure effective preparedness as per the Centre’s guidelines and in line with the technical advisory committee’s recommendations regarding Monkeypox.
The Telangana government on Monday designated a state-run hospital in Hyderabad as the nodal facility to treat patients, state health minister T Harish Rao said.
A man suspected to be infected with monkeypox had been identified in Kamareddy district of the state on Sunday. According to health department officials, the 35-year-old man had a history of travel to Kuwait.
The government is considering putting in place testing facilities at airports to test those arriving from foreign countries, especially African nations, Rao said on Monday.
(With inputs from Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Hyderabad)
