Written By: Tavishi Dogra | Updated : June 9, 2022 3:31 PM IST
Monkeypox Outbreak: Is Waning Smallpox Vaccine Protection The Reason?
Amid the increasing cases of monkeypox in various countries, the Health Department of Delhi has directed all the government hospitals to be on alert. On Wednesday, the Delhi government directed all government hospitals to look for early disease symptoms and ensure prompt reporting. However, not even a single case has been reported in India. Yet, the chances of getting cases of this disease in the capital are high because there are a lot of tourists visiting from other countries.
In the 'Guideline on Management of Monkeypox Disease' issued to the states and union territories, the Health Ministry on Tuesday emphasised surveillance and rapid identification of new cases. It further states that even though no monkeypox virus has been reported so far, India still needs to be prepared to consider the increasing number of patients in many countries.
The guideline has been said to create a surveillance strategy to identify the clusters of cases and infections and their sources at the earliest to prevent them from spreading further. The guideline says that it's necessary to manage and identify contacts, and protect the frontline health workers while providing clinical care. It is also essential to recognize the transmission, prevent it from spreading and take necessary measures.
In its guideline, the ministry has said that a person infected with monkeypox will be monitored for 21 days. The guideline also noted that daily surveillance should be done for 21 days after a patient's last contact or contaminated material during the infectious period. The ministry has also said that if someone shows symptoms of monkeypox, then it will be considered confirmed only after testing.
Monkeypox has been reported as an endemic disease in several Central and West African countries such as Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Republic of the Congo. However, cases have also been reported in some countries like the US, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Israel and Switzerland. The Health Ministry said it keeps a close watch on the evolving situation.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus that spreads from animals to humans), in which symptoms like smallpox are mostly seen. Although according to the WHO, it is less severe than smallpox. According to the WHO report, this infection has been seen in about 30 countries, and its symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, facial rash etc.
