Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : May 28, 2022 2:01 PM IST
• Blood and sputum samples collected from suspected patients will be sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune
In view of the rising monkeypox cases across the globe, the Uttar Pradesh health department has issued SOPs for health officials and directed all the
hospitals in Lucknow to keep an eye on patients coming with suspected symptoms.
Monkeypox cases have been reported in many non-endemic countries including the USA, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Canary Islands, Israel, and Switzerland.
On Thursday, the infectious disease control department issued an advisory directing all health officials in the state to follow the standard operating procedures regarding monkeypox infection.
The office of the chief medical officer (CMO) of Lucknow has sent the circular to all district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and medical colleges.
Lucknow CMO Dr Manoj Agrawal said that even though there have been no cases of monkeypox in India till now, the doctors have been told to remain alert particularly if a patient with history of international travel comes with symptoms of monkeypox.
According to the advisory issued for health officials in the state, passengers coming from other states, especially those with a history of international travel, will be under focus. Further it says:
According to health experts, most monkeypox patients experience fever and rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Human-to-human transmission is believed to occur via big respiratory droplets, though very close contact.
Health authorities in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra are also taking up strict measures to prevent monkeypox from entering the states.
All district collectors and Commissioners of Corporations in TN have been told to increase surveillance for monkeypox. A letter was recently issued in this regard by J Radhakrishnan, Health Secretary of Tamil Nadu.
All suspected cases should be isolated at designated healthcare facilities and the cases should be reported to the District Surveillance Officer of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme," the Health Secretary said.
In Mumbai, the BMC has set up a 28-bed ward facility at Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Chinchpokli to isolate suspected monkeypox cases.
The BMC's public health department has also asked medical facilities in the city to stay alert.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government has issued an advisory for international passengers arriving in the state. According to the advisory, travellers from Europe, Australia, the US, and Canada would be subjected to a screening procedure.
If a traveller is confirmed for the monkeypox virus, contact tracing will be carried out and samples of suspected cases will be sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
Kerala health minister Veena George has asked the district authorities in the state to remain vigilant and create awareness about the disease.
