Monkeypox Virus | ‘Screening, Testing…’: Union Health Ministry Issues Fresh Advisory To States & UTs

The Centre emphasised the need of having a strict monitoring system in place at all ports of entry in order to swiftly detect and isolate suspicious cases.

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The Union Health Ministry issued an alert to the states, and UTs about the spread of the monkeypox illness, which has caused concern throughout the world in recent weeks with 3,413 laboratory cases and one confirmed fatality, news agency ANI reported.

The Centre emphasised the need of having a strict monitoring system in place at all ports of entry in order to swiftly detect and isolate suspicious cases.

#Monkeypox |Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes to Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Secretary (Health) of all States/UTs, reiterating some of the key actions that are required to be taken by all States/UTs in line with MoHFW's guidance issued on the subject pic.twitter.com/fb7jdZPz8U

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2022

Rajesh Bhushan, the health secretary, referenced a letter written by the ministry on May 31 in which it gave a set of instructions on the management of the contagious disease. There has been no documented case of monkeypox in India as of yet.

The health secretary directed all states and union territories to take critical activities, such as orienting and re-orienting all key stakeholders, such as health screening teams at points of entry, disease surveillance teams, and clinicians working in hospitals, regarding common signs and symptoms.

The Centre directed the states/UTs to screen and test suspectable cases at entry points and in communities. The health ministry's requirements include patient isolation, rigorous risk communication addressed at health personnel, and appropriate human resource and logistical assistance.

“This points to a slow. but sustained increase in spread of cases globally. Considering this is the first time that cases and clusters are being reported concurrently in five World Health Organization regions,” the Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes in the issued letter. 

The letter also said that the WHO has rated the worldwide risk of case spread as "moderate."

The notification from the Centre came on the same day that a Kerala resident who returned from the UAE displayed possible signs of the Monkeypox virus. Kerala Health Minister Veena George stated that the patient's samples have been submitted to a virology lab in Pune.

Monkeypox spreads by intimate contact and, as the name implies, was initially discovered in monkeys. It is predominantly found in West and Central Africa, but it has also spread to Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

(With Inputs From ANI)