India’s first monkeypox case found in Kerala
Premium- The central team will assist the Kerala health department in containing the outbreak
NEW DELHI : India has reported first laboratory confirmed case of Monkeypox in Kerala from Kollam district after which union health ministry has rushed a multi-disciplinary team of experts to collaborate with the state health authoritites in instituting public health measures, the union health ministry informed on Thursday.
“The central team will assist the state health department in containing the outbreak," said the official.
“The Central team to Kerala comprises of experts drawn from National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. RML Hospital and senior official from the health ministry along with experts from regional office of Kerala government. The team shall work closely with the state health departments and take a stock of on-ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions. India is taking proactive steps by monitoring the situation carefully and coordinating with states in case of any such possibility of outbreak occurs," stated health ministry in a statement.
Earlier in the day, the Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan directed the states/UTs to do extensive surveillance screening and testing of all suspected cases at the points of entries either through hospital-based surveillance and targeted surveillance under measles surveillance or intervention sites identified by NACO for MSM, FSW population, and in the community should be done.
“Continued expansion of spread of Monkeypox disease globally calls for proactive strengthening and operationalization of requisite public health actions for preparedness and response the disease in India also. Orientation and 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 suspected/ probable/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," stated Bhushan in letter reviewed by Mint.
The union health ministry has urged the state governments to isolate patients having ulcers, symptoms, and continue monitoring of any such case. Globally, 3413 confirmed monkeypox cases have been detected with one death.
“Intensive risk communication directed at healthcare workers, identified sites in health facilities (such as skin, paediatric OPDs, immunization clinics, intervention sites identified by NACO etc.) as well as the general public about simple preventive strategies and need for prompt reporting of cases needs to be undertaken," stated the letter.
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, it said.
Monkeypox is a viral disease originating from animals such as rodents and primates and transmitting to people. It is found in Africa, mostly around tropical rainforest regions. The major symptoms are fever with an unexplained acute rash all over the body. Other symptoms include headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and body aches, back pain and profound weakness.
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