ICMR asserts India's preparedness as Monkeypox spreads in non-endemic countries

As the cases of Monkeypox are being reported from across the world, ICMR said no cases have yet been identified in India and assured India is ready for any upsurge. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Monkeypox cases have now totalled 226 in 21 countries. This is alarming because most of the cases have been from 'non-endemic' countries - where Monkeypox have not been detected before. These include EU nations like USA, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Canary Islands, Israel, and Switzerland.  

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Dr Aparna Mukherjee, Scientist C, 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."

Health Ministry to soon announce guidelines for Monkeypox

The Union Health Ministry will soon release the guidelines - the principles of management on how the Monkeypox disease should be managed. It will have directions related to isolation, contact tracing, contact monitoring, preventive measures, and risk assessment. The guidelines will also include, "Advisory for international travellers. They should avoid close contact with sick people, contact with dead or live, wild animals such as mammals including rodents and non-human primates (monkeys, apes), and contact with contaminated materials used by sick people should also be avoided."

ICMR: People should exercise caution against Monkeypox

The health expert, Mukherjee advised people who have a travel history from countries where Monkeypox cases have been detected, should immediately act on any unusual symptoms, "We should observe the unusual symptoms like high fever, a lot of lymphadenopathies, large lymph nodes, body ache, rashes, etc, especially those who have travel history from infected countries," Dr Mukherjee said and added people who detect symptoms should get themselves tested from the fluid oozing out of the lesions or the respiratory samples, as per the protocol prescribed by the National Institute of Virology.

Precautions against people infected with Monkeypox

An ICMR official said people should avoid close contact with those who have been infected with Monkeypox, "People should not get panic about this disease, its symptoms as it usually spreads by very close contact. There are set guidelines for it which have already been published from ICMR- NIV," adding the vaccines for Monkeypox is the same for adults and kids, "Kids are more susceptible to the infection. The elderly people would be vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine. After the 1980s, people who did not get the smallpox vaccine that gives cross-immunity to fight against the infection, so the younger people will be more susceptible. The treatment is the same for both children and adults."

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK