Monkeypox in India: Kerala on Thursday (July 14, 2022) confirmed the first-ever monkeypox virus case of India. The first Monkeypox case was reported after the sample of the person was tested positive at National Institute of Virology, Pune. Earlier in the day, Kerala Health Minister had said that the person showed symptoms of the virus and was in close contact with a monkeypox patient abroad.


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Recently, a person was also admitted to a hospital in Kolkata with symptoms of monkeypox. He, however, had tested negative after the report of his blood sample and rash fluid came to Kolkata from NIV.


What is monkeypox disease?


Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys kept for research. The first human case of monkeypox was reported in 1970 and the disease occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.


Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox. The virus belongs to the family Poxviridae, which also includes the viruses causing smallpox and cowpox disease


What are symptoms of monkeypox virus?


The monkeypox virus typically presents itself with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. It may also lead to a range of medical complications. It is usually self-limiting with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks and severe cases can also occur.


How does monkeypox spread?


Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus. According to reports, it is spread by rodents such as rats, mice, and squirrels.


The monkeypox disease is transmitted through lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. 


How are monkeypox cases treated?


Vaccines used during the smallpox eradication program have also provided protection against the monkeypox virus. Newer vaccines have been developed of which one has been approved for the prevention of the disease. An antiviral agent developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox.


Health Ministry raises alarm on monkeypox, issues guidelines


The Union Health Ministry on Thursday asked states to increase surveillance on monkeypox, which has been reported in many countries across the world. In a letter to the states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reiterated that there should be a rigorous surveillance system at all points of entry to quickly identify and isolate suspected cases.


"Continued expansion of spread of monkeypox disease globally calls for proactive strengthening and operationalisation of requisite public health actions for preparedness and response against the disease in lndia also," he wrote.


The Centre, in the letter, has said that orientation and regular re-orientation of all key stakeholders including health screening teams at points of entry, disease surveillance teams, and doctors working in hospitals about common signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, case definitions for suspects, probable or confirmed cases should be carried out.


It has asked states to screen and test all suspect cases either through hospital-based surveillance or targeted surveillance under measles surveillance or intervention sites identified by the National AIDS Control Organisation for MSM (men having sex with men) and FSW (female sex worker) population groups.


"Patient isolation (until all lesions have resolved and scabs have completely fallen off), protection of ulcers, symptomatic and supportive therapies, continued monitoring and timely treatment of complications remain the key measures to prevent mortality," Bhushan said in the letter.


Intensive risk communication directed at healthcare workers, identified sites in health facilities (such as skin, paediatric OPDS, immunisation clinics, intervention sites identified by NACO, etc.) as well as the general public about simple preventive strategies and the need for prompt reporting of cases needs to be undertaken, he underlined.


"Hospitals must be identified and adequate human resource and logistic support should be ensured at identified hospitals equipped to manage suspected cases of monkeypox," he added.


He noted that as per World Health Organisation (WHO), from January 1 to June 22, a total of 3,413 laboratory confirmed cases of monkeypox and one death have been reported from 50 countries and territories.


Majority of these cases have been reported from the European Region (86 per cent) and the Americas (11 per cent). This points to a slow but sustained increase in spread of cases globally, said the Health Ministry.


(With agency inputs)