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Listen to Story The Union government on Monday issued a fresh advisory to states and UTs on the issue of tracking and monitoring cases of mpox, which has been declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In its advisory, the Union Health Ministry noted that India has not seen any cases of mpox in the current outbreak . However, state governments have been advised to stay on alert and follow the ministry’s various guidelines on surveillance strategies and setting up of isolation facilities to track and deal with suspect and confirmed cases of the disease.
The ministry noted that the national Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is actively monitoring to identify any mpox clusters in the country. Points of entry such as airports have intensified health screening of incoming travellers and the laboratory network under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been strengthened to test samples from suspect cases, the ministry said. In August, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced mpox (previously known as monkeypox) as a public health emergency of international concern.
(Photo: Getty Images) States should pay special attention to healthcare workers, especially those in skin and STD (sexually transmitted diseases) clinics, to know about common signs and symptoms of mpox and actions that need to be taken after diagnosis, the advisory stated. Screening and testing to be done of all the suspect cases in the community, from hospital-based surveillance to intervention sites identified by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). "While all states are requested to undertake appropriate activities to make communities aware about the disease, its mode of spread, need for timely reporting and preventive measures, it is crucial that any undue panic amongst the masses is prevented," the advisory read.
In August, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced mpox ( previously known as monkeypox ) as a public health emergency of international concern. The decision was made because of the rising spread of mpox to several countries and the emergence of a new strain called clade 1b. India detected 30 cases of an older strain, known as clade 2, between 2022 and March 2024.
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