New Delhi: PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reviewed the Mpox situation in the country after the World Health Organization (WHO) again declared the virus a global public health emergency.
Mishra chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of Mpox preparedness in the country and related public health measures as directed by the Prime Minister, a government statement said. 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 asked for more surveillance and effective measures for early detection of cases. He also directed that the network of testing labs should be equipped for early diagnosis. Currently, 32 labs are equipped for testing.
Mishra directed that the protocols for prevention and treatment of the disease be widely disseminated. He stressed that an awareness campaign should be conducted among healthcare providers about the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need for timely reporting to the surveillance system, the statement said.
What is Mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as Monkeypox, is a viral infection that is generally self-limiting and lasts two to four weeks. Mpox patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management.
Mpox transmission occurs through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient. It is largely transmitted through sexual route, direct contact with body/lesion fluids of the patient or via the contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person.
Ministry of Health in action
On Saturday, JP Nadda, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, reviewed the Mpox situation in the country. Following this, the Director General of Health held a video conference with state government officials to sensitize them on public health measures, including the need for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programmes (IDSP) in the states and at the border crossings.
WHO calls Mpox a global concern
The WHO again declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, 2024, due to the spread of the disease across large parts of Africa.
Since 2022, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths from Mpox have been reported from 116 countries, according to a previous statement from the WHO. The agency subsequently reported that Mpox cases are steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Last year, the number of cases rose significantly and this year that number has already been exceeded with more than 15,600 infections and 537 deaths.
Since Mpox was first declared a global health emergency in 2022, India has reported 30 cases, the last of which was in March this year.
