Monkeypox Cases India: Centre Holds High-Level Review Meeting. 'No Need To Panic,' Says Delhi CM Kejriwal

Monkeypox Cases India: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal assured citizens that there was no need to panic while the Union health ministry informed about a high-level review meeting.

Total four cases of monkeypox virus have been reported in India so far.

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: After Delhi's first case of monkeypox was confirmed on Sunday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that a high-level review of the situation has been called by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) today.

As per the ministry, the meeting was scheduled for 3 PM.

The Health Ministry confirmed that a 34-year-old man from the national capital has been confirmed as the first case of monkeypox virus in Delhi. This is overall the fourth case of the disease in India. As per official sources cited by news agency PTI, the man has no history of foreign travel. 

"A 34-year-old male resident of Delhi was isolated at Lok Nayak Hospital as a suspected case of Monkeypox. A confirmation of the diagnosis has been done by National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune," a statement by the health ministry read.

It further informed that the infected individual is presently recovering at the designated isolation centre at Lok Nayak Hospital. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured citizens there was no need to panic over the first Monkeypox case reported in the national capital and that the situation is under control.

"The first case of Monkeypox was detected in Delhi. The patient is stable and recovering. There's no need to panic. The situation is under control. We have made a separate isolation ward at LNJP. Our best team is on the case to prevent the spread and protect Delhiites," he wrote on Twitter.

The first case of Monkeypox was detected in Delhi. The patient is stable and recovering.

There's no need to panic. The situation is under control.

We have made a separate isolation ward at LNJP. Our best team is on the case to prevent the spread and protect Delhiites.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 24, 2022

The close contacts of the case have been identified and are under quarantine as per the MoHFW guidelines. 

"Further public health interventions like identification of the source of infection, enhanced contact tracing, testing sensitisation of private practitioners, etc, are being carried out," the union health ministry mentioned.

The man had attended a stag party recently in Himachal Pradesh's Manali, PTI reported official sources as saying. He is informed to be a resident of West Delhi and was admitted to the Maulana Azad Medical College Hospital around three days ago after he showed symptoms of monkeypox.

Monkeypox Cases In Kerala

Three cases of monkeypox had earlier been reported from Kerala.

A 35-year-old man, who came to Kerala from the UAE earlier this month, had tested positive for monkeypox, making him the third case of the virus from the country as well as the state.

The second patient, a native of Kannur in north Kerala, arrived in the southern state on July 13 and was undergoing treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College.

The first case of monkeypox, a rare but potentially serious viral illness, was reported in Kollam district of south Kerala on July 14.

WHO Declares Monkeypox Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.

Monkeypox virus is transmitted from infected animals to humans via indirect or direct contact. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or lesions, including face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and respiratory droplets.

With over 16,000 cases reported in 75 countries so far, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom said that the risk of monkeypox is “moderate globally and in all regions” and that the risk factor in the European region has been assessed to be high.

According to reports, it is the seventh time that such a declaration has been made by the health organisation since 2009, the most recent being COVID-19.

Globally, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries and there have been five deaths so far due to the outbreak.

In the WHO South-East Asia Region, besides India, one case has been detected in Thailand. 

(With Agency Inputs)