New Delhi: PK Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reviewed the Mpox situation in the country after the World Health Organisation (WHO) again declared the virus a global public health emergency.
Mishra chaired a high-level meeting to review the country’s Mpox preparedness and related public health measures on the orders of the prime minister, according to a government statement. He was informed that no case of Mpox has been reported in the country. The current assessment suggests that the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low.
Mishra called for increased surveillance and effective measures to be taken to detect cases early. He also ordered that the network of testing laboratories be prepared for early diagnosis. At present, 32 laboratories are equipped to carry out tests.
Mishra said that prevention and treatment protocols for the disease can be disseminated on a large scale. He stressed that there is a need to conduct an awareness campaign among healthcare professionals on the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need to notify the surveillance system in a timely manner, the statement said.
What is Mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that usually resolves spontaneously and lasts between two and four weeks. Patients with Mpox usually recover with treatment and supportive care.
Mpox virus transmission occurs through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient. It is mainly transmitted sexually, through direct contact with bodily fluids or injuries of the patient, or through contaminated clothing or bedding of an infected person.
Ministry of Health in action
On Saturday, JP nothingThe Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare reviewed the Mpox situation in the country, following which the Director General of Health Services held a meeting via video conference with state government officials to sensitize them on public health measures, including the need for integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP) units in states and at ports of entry.
WHO declares Mpox a global threat
On 14 August 2024, WHO re-declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern in view of its spread to many parts of Africa.
Since 2022, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths from Mpox have been reported in 116 countries, according to an earlier WHO statement. The agency later reported that Mpox cases have been steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The number of cases rose significantly last year and the tally has surpassed that level so far this year with more than 15,600 infections and 537 deaths.
Since Mpox was first declared a global health concern in 2022, India has reported 30 cases, the latest in March this year.
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