Monkeypox outbreak: India prepares to tackle the virus, unusual outbreak worries WHO - in PICS

Nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the disease, the World Health Organization said on Friday (May 27). 

While no cases of monkeypox have been reported in India so far, West Bengal is going the cautious way. Mamata Banerjee's government has asked hospitals in the state to set up separate facilities to accommodate patients coming from abroad with symptoms of monkeypox, officials said on Friday. "Although monkeypox has not been reported in India, with new cases being detected from various countries, chances of this disease occurring in India cannot be ruled out," a health department advisory said. (Pic: Reuters)

Idian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director-general Samiran Panda said, "At the moment, there is no evidence of monkeypox virus in the body of anyone in India, but we must maintain caution. "Anyone coming from a foreign country or from abroad should be kept in isolation as soon as symptoms like fever and headache are seen." (Pic: Reuters)

Dr Aparna Mukherjee, Scientist E, ICMR said, "India is prepared for the infections as it is rapidly spreading in non-endemic countries like Europe, USA and others. However, no cases have been reported in India so far."The health expert also emphasised keeping a close watch on unusual symptoms, especially those who have a travel history from the monkeypox-infected countries. (pic: Reuters)

Argentina reported Latin America's first confirmed case of the monkeypox virus on Friday in a man who recently travelled to Spain, reported AP. The man, who is from the province of Buenos Aires, has monkeypox but health authorities are waiting to finish sequencing the virus before making the official announcement, said an official in Argentina's Health Ministry. (Pic: Reuters)

During a public briefing on Friday, the UN health agency said there are still many unanswered questions about what triggered the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox outside of Africa, but there is no evidence that any genetic changes in the virus are responsible. (Pic: Reuters)

Earlier this week, a top adviser to WHO said the outbreak in Europe, US, Israel, Australia and beyond was likely linked to sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. That marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates, and outbreaks haven't spilled across borders. (Pic: IANS)