Rajasthan: Keep an eye on suspected cases of monkeypox, health minister Parsadi Lal Meena

JAIPUR: As eight monkeypox cases have already been detected in the country, health minister Parsadi Lal Meena on Wednesday directed its officials to conduct regular monitoring of high-risk groups.
He said regular monitoring should be done in hospitals of patients coming to out-patient department of skin and rheumatic diseases, medicine and department of pediatrics. “If any suspected case of monkeypox is found, then its immediate sampling should be done,” said Meena.
Health department officials and hospitals attached to medical colleges have been directed to conduct contact tracing of suspected cases of monkeypox and ensure that persons in contact with the suspected cases should be isolated.
Though the health department transports samples of suspected cases of monkeypox to Pune-based National Institute of Virology, it has developed the facilities for testing samples at Sawai Man Singh Medical College.
Meena said if anyone is found having symptoms of monkeypox, his or her samples should be immediately taken and get it tested at SMS Medical College laboratory.
Besides, suspected case of monkeypox, a 20-year-old student, who arrived from Bangalore to Kishangarh town of Ajmer district six days ago, has tested negative for monkeypox.
He was rushed from Kishangarh to Jaipur’s RUHS after he developed symptoms of monkeypox. “The patient has tested negative. Another patient from Chaksu has also tested negative, who was referred to RUHS hospital as a suspected case of monkeypox,” said Dr Ajit Singh, superintendent, RUHS hospital.
He was admitted to isolation ward at RUHS Hospital. Since he had blisters over his body and fever, which are symptoms of monkeypox too, doctors were closely monitoring his health.