On Saturday, the Indian government conducted a review of its readiness to address Mpox, previously known as Monkeypox, following the World Health Organization’s declaration of it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who led the review, confirmed that no cases of Mpox have been reported in India to date. He assured that the government is taking proactive steps to prevent and control the potential spread of the disease.
During the review, it was decided to implement several precautionary measures, including sensitizing health units at airports, seaports, and ground crossings, preparing 32 testing laboratories, and enhancing health facilities for case detection, isolation, and management. The health ministry emphasized that while imported cases may occur in the coming weeks, the risk of a significant outbreak with sustained transmission in India remains low.
The WHO reclassified Mpox as a global public health emergency on August 14, marking the second such declaration in two years. Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan noted that the current outbreak is caused by a new Mpox clade (1b), which has recently transitioned from forest animals in Africa to humans. This new clade has a higher mortality rate and affects a broader demographic compared to the earlier clade (2b), which primarily impacted men who have sex with men and was milder in nature.
Post Your Comments