Monkeypox: ICMR trains 15 diagnostic labs for virus detection as India goes on alert
PremiumIndia reported its first case of monkeypox on Thursday, with a Keralite who returned from the UAE testing positive for the virus
As India reported its first case of monkeypox, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Friday announced that it has trained 15 research and diagnostic laboratories across the country for early detection of the virus
“To help country's preparedness for Monkey Pox detection, 15 Virus Research & Diagnostic Laboratories across the country, which are geographically well distributed & strategically located, have already been trained in the diagnostic test by ICMR -NIV, Pune," the ICMR took to Twitter to say.
This comes as India went on alert on Thursday after a Keralite who returned from the UAE tested positive for Monkeypox.
The case was confirmed through the testing of the samples of the symptomatic person at Pune's National Institute of Virology, said Kerala health minister Veena George.
She further said that all measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the disease and that there was no cause for concern.
This was reiterated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said that just like the spread of Covid-19 was checked, Monkeypox can also be contained.
Following this, the Centre rushed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to collaborate with the state health authorities in instituting public health measures.
The central team to Kerala comprises experts drawn from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi and senior officials from the health ministry along with experts from the regional office of health and family welfare, Kerala.
"In view of the report of confirmation of a case of monkeypox disease from Kollam district in Kerala, the health ministry has decided to depute a multidisciplinary central team to support the Kerala government in investigating the outbreak and institute requisite public health measures," an office memorandum by the health ministry said.
"The Government of India is taking proactive steps by monitoring the situation carefully and coordinating with states in case of any such possibility of outbreak occurs," it added.
The central government has also written a letter to all states and Union territories mentioning key actions that should be taken.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.
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