New Delhi, September 8, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The Union Health Ministry has announced a suspected case of Mpox (monkeypox) in India, reported by one of the hospitals designated to manage the disease. The case involves a young male patient who recently traveled from an African country experiencing Mpox transmission. The patient has been isolated and is currently in stable condition.
In a statement, the Health Ministry said, “A young male patient who recently returned from a country where Mpox (monkeypox) is prevalent has been identified as a suspect case. The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable.”
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which has been spreading in certain parts of the world. The patient’s samples are currently being tested to confirm the diagnosis.
The ministry assured that the case is being handled according to established protocols, with ongoing contact tracing to identify any potential sources and assess the situation within the country.
On August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years. The initial global outbreak was announced in 2022 when cases started emerging worldwide.
Mpox can spread from person to person through close contact and, less commonly, through surfaces and objects touched by an infected person. In some areas where the virus is present among wild animals, it can also be transmitted from animals to humans.
Most people recover from Mpox within a few weeks, and the disease is rarely fatal. Symptoms typically include lesions, eruptions on the face, palms, or soles, scabs, fever, muscle aches, and chills. The incubation period, or the time from infection to the onset of symptoms, usually ranges from 6 to 13 days but can vary from 5 to 21 days.
A person with Mpox can spread the virus from 1-2 days before the rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off or subsided.
Mpox is generally a self-limiting disease, with symptoms lasting from 2-4 weeks. However, severe cases are more common among children and can be influenced by the extent of virus exposure, the patient’s overall health, and the nature of complications.
There is no specific treatment for Mpox, and care is largely supportive. This includes patient isolation, protection of compromised skin and mucous membranes, rehydration therapy, nutritional support, antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections if they develop, and monitoring and treatment of complications.
Preventive measures include practicing good hand hygiene—such as washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer—after contact with infected animals or humans. It is also crucial to use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.
The Health Ministry emphasized that this development aligns with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). “There is no cause for undue concern. The country is fully prepared to manage and mitigate any potential risk associated with such isolated travel-related cases,” the ministry stated.
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