Has monkeypox reached India? 5-year-old girl with suspected monkeypox infection tests...

Ghaziabad: The 5-year-old girl's samples were sent to the ICMR NIV Pune for testing of monkeypox.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: A few days ago, NCR had reported a suspected case of monkeypox in Ghaziabad. A 5-year-old girl's samples were sent for testing to ICMR NIV Pune to detect if she was infected by monkeypox after she complained of itching and rashes. The girl has tested negative for monkeypox according to National Institute of Virology in Pune as reported by ANI. The suspected case had created a bit of panic among people as speculations of monkeypox reaching India were abuzz. 

The suspected case of monkeypox from UP's Ghaziabad has tested negative, the sample was sent for testing to ICMR - National Institute of Virology in Pune: Sources to ANI pic.twitter.com/JQTjIXgyPm

— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2022

Reacting to this, government health sources had said that it is "unnecessary panic mongering" and that no cases of the disease have been reported from India so far." The sample of a suspected monkeypox case in Ghaziabad has been sent for testing, but it's unnecessary panic mongering. No monkeypox case has been reported in India so far," the government sources told ANI.

Last week, the Union Health Ministry had issued "Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease" to ensure advance preparedness across the country, in view of the rising reports of monkeypox cases in non-endemic countries.

The guidelines further explained in detail about raising awareness and educating people about the measures for monkeypox virus-like avoiding contact with any material of the sick person, isolation of the infected patient from others, practising good hand hygiene and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.

(With agency inputs)