- India implements precautionary measures for Monkeypox, including sensitizing health units and preparing 32 testing labs, despite no cases reported yet.
- Monkeypox transmission requires prolonged close contact; infections typically last 2-4 weeks with recovery through supportive care.
- The risk of a large Monkeypox outbreak in India is currently assessed as low, but the situation is under close monitoring by health authorities.
Following the World Health Organization (WHO)'s declaration of Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Indian Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the situation and preparedness with senior ministry officials.
"No cases of Mpox have been detected in India so far. The Government of India is taking proactive measures to prevent and control the potential spread of the disease," stated the Union Health Minister on X (formerly Twitter).
In a meeting chaired by the Union Health Minister, it was decided to implement precautionary measures, including sensitizing health units at airports, seaports, and ground crossings, preparing 32 testing laboratories, and gearing up health facilities for detecting, isolating, and managing any cases.
The meeting also noted that Monkeypox infections typically last 2-4 weeks, with patients generally recovering through supportive care. Transmission requires prolonged close contact, often through sexual contact, direct exposure to body fluids or lesions, or contact with contaminated clothing or linens.
The WHO declared Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in July 2022 and revoked it in May 2023. Since 2022, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths have been reported globally across 116 countries. In India, 30 cases were detected since the WHO’s 2022 declaration, with the last case reported in March 2024.
On August 16, 2024, a Joint Monitoring Group, chaired by the Director General of Health Services, reviewed the situation. Experts from various healthcare organizations, including NCDC, WHO, ICMR, NVBDCP, Dte.GHS, and AIIMS, attended the meeting. While the possibility of a few imported cases in the coming weeks remains, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission in India is currently assessed as low.
Additionally, the whole situation is currently being monitored closely by the Ministry.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
