The Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to all states and union territories on precautionary measures for “Mpox,” a disease declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
India has yet to report any confirmed cases of Mpox. However, the advisory outlines key public health actions necessary to prevent potential cases or deaths. States and union territories have been urged to widely circulate the Ministry’s “Guidelines for Management of Monkeypox Disease” and act on the updated Communicable Disease Alert (CD-Alert) issued by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The Health Secretary emphasized the need for senior officials to assess public health preparedness, particularly at health facilities, and ensure the identification of isolation wards for both suspected and confirmed cases.
Globally, Mpox primarily affects young males, with a median age of 34 years, and transmission is most commonly through sexual contact. However, non-sexual person-to-person transmission has also been reported. Half of the cases with available information on HIV status were found in individuals living with HIV.
Common symptoms of Mpox include rashes, either systemic or genital, and fever.
The advisory follows a suspected case of Mpox reported in Delhi, involving a man who had recently returned from abroad. The patient has been isolated and is in stable condition, with samples sent for confirmation. Contact tracing is underway to assess any broader impact.
The Ministry reassured the public that there is no cause for undue concern. India remains prepared to manage isolated cases, with robust measures in place to contain any potential risk. The development is consistent with earlier risk assessments by the NCDC.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, has been a health concern in parts of Africa for years but resurfaced globally in 2022. Since January 2022, 102,997 confirmed Mpox cases have been reported to the WHO from 121 countries, along with 223 deaths. The most recent WHO report, dated September 3, 2024, recorded 1,425 new cases and six deaths in July 2024, with the majority of cases reported in Africa, followed by the Americas and Europe. The South-East Asia region reported 1% of the total cases.
(inputs from ANI)