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New Delhi: Given the continued expansion of spread of monkeypox disease globally, the Union health ministry urged the states to be proactive, strengthen and operationalise requisite public health actions for preparedness and response against the disease in India as well.
Today, a suspected case of monkeypox, the first in India, was reported from Kerala. A traveller who arrived in Kerala three days ago from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was hospitalised after he displayed symptoms of monkeypox. The samples have been sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
Following this Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has released the following key actions that are required to be taken by all states and UTs:
The centre urged regular re-orientation of all key stakeholders including health screening teams at Points of Entries (PoEs), disease surveillance teams, doctors working in hospitals about common signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, case definitions for suspect, probable or confirmed cases and contacts, contact tracing and other surveillance activities that need to be undertaken following detection of a case, testing, IPC protocols, clinical management etc.
Stressed on the screening and testing of all suspect cases at points of entries, and in the community. Either through hospital based surveillance and targeted surveillance under measles surveillance or through intervention sites identified by NACO for MSM, FSW population.
Further added that patient isolation was crucial until all lesions have resolved and scabs have completely fallen off, protection of ulcers, symptomatic and supportive therapies, continued monitoring and timely treatment of complications remain the key measures to prevent mortality.
Intensive risk communication directed at healthcare workers, identified sites in health facilities such as skin, paediatric OPDs, immunisation clinics, intervention sites identified by NACO etc, as well as general public about simple preventive strategies and need for prompt reporting of cases needs to be undertaken, the Union health ministry stated.
Informed that the hospitals must be identified and adequate human resource and logistic support should be ensured at identified hospitals equipped to manage suspected/confirmed cases of monkeypox.
Along with dealing with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry urges people to remain aware and alert about other public health threats and proactively prepare to tackle them. The health ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely and extend all requisite support in this regard.
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