Press Trust of india

Monkeypox case in Delhi, India’s tally climbs to four

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page

New Delhi: A 34-year-old man from the national capital with no history of foreign travel has tested positive for monkeypox virus, making it the fourth case of the disease being reported in India, the government said on Sunday.

The man had recently attended a stag party in Manali in Himachal Pradesh, official sources told PTI.

A resident of West Delhi, the man was isolated at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital here around three days ago after he showed symptoms of the disease.

His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Saturday which came out positive, Union Health Ministry officials said.

“The case is presently recovering at the designated isolation centre at the Lok Nayak Hospital. The close contacts of the case have been identified and are under quarantine as per the Ministry of Health’s guidelines,” they said.

“Public health interventions like identification of the source of infection, enhanced contact tracing, testing sensitisation of private practitioners etc. are being carried out. A high-level review of the situation has been planned by the Directorate General of Health Sciences at 3 pm Sunday,” the ministry said.

Three cases of monkeypox had earlier been reported from Kerala.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had on Saturday declared monkeypox as a global public health emergency of international concern.

Monkeypox virus is transmitted from infected animals to humans via indirect or direct contact. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or lesions, including face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and respiratory droplets.

Globally, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries and there have been five deaths so far due to the outbreak.

In the WHO South-East Asia Region, besides India, one case has been detected from Thailand

The Health Ministry had last week reviewed the screening procedure of international travellers arriving in India at airports and ports after cases of the virus were reported in the country.

Airport and Port Health Officers (APHOs and PHOs) and regional directors from regional offices of health and family welfare were advised to ensure strict health screening of all arriving international travellers to minimise the risk of importation of monkeypox cases into the country, a ministry statement had said.

They were advised to coordinate with other stakeholder agencies at international ports and airports to streamline health screening processes besides ensuring suitable linkages with hospital facilities earmarked to each port of entry for timely referral and isolation.

According to the WHO, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

Monkeypox typically presents with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.

It is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.

In the ‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’ issued to states and UTs the Centre has stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring a prolonged close contact.

It can also be transmitted through a direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person.

Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals like small mammals including rodents like rats or squirrels and non-human primates like monkeys and apes or through bush meat preparation.

The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) of  monkeypox is usually from 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days, the document stated.

The case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically ranged from 0 to 11 per cent in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around three to six per cent, the document stated.

The symptoms include lesions which usually begins within 1-3 days of fever onset, lasting for around two-four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they become itchy (in the crust stage).

A notable predilection for palm and soles is characteristic of monkey pox, the guidelines stated.

According to the guidelines, contacts should be monitored at least daily for the onset of signs/symptoms for a period of 21 days (as per case definition) from the last contact with a patient or their contaminated material during the infectious period.

Strengthen surveillance, public health measures for monkeypox: WHO

Regional Director of WHO’s South-East Asia Region on Sunday called on member countries to strengthen surveillance and public health measures for monkeypox, with the disease being declared a public health emergency of international concern by the global health body.

Monkeypox has been spreading rapidly and to many countries that have not seen it before, which is a matter of great concern, said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region.

“However, with cases concentrated among men who have sex with men, it is possible to curtail further spread of the disease with focused efforts among at-risk population,” she said.

Globally, over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 75 countries. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, four cases of monkeypox have been reported, three from India and one from Thailand. The cases in India are among nationals who returned home from the Middle East, while in Thailand a Nigerian living in the country has been confirmed positive for monkeypox.

“Importantly, our focused efforts and measures should be sensitive, devoid of stigma or discrimination,” the regional director said.

The decision to term monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) was announced by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General WHO on Saturday, a day after he convened yet another meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) emergency committee to review the multi-country outbreak.

“Though the risk of monkeypox globally and in the Region is moderate, the potential of its further international spread is real. Also, there are still many unknowns about the virus. We need to stay alert and prepared to roll out intense response to curtail further spread of monkeypox,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.

Since the start of the outbreak, WHO has been supporting countries assess risk, and initiate public health measures, while also building and facilitating testing capacities in the Region.

Engaging and protecting the affected communities; intensifying surveillance and public health measures; strengthening clinical management and infection prevention and control in hospitals and clinics; and accelerating research into the use of vaccines, therapeutics and other tools, are among the key measures that need to be scaled-up, the Regional Director said.

Monkeypox virus is transmitted from infected animals to humans via indirect or direct contact. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or lesions, including face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and respiratory droplets.

In the current outbreak in countries and amongst the reported monkeypox cases, transmission appears to be occurring primarily through close physical contact, including sexual contact. Transmission can also occur from contaminated materials such as linens, bedding, electronics, clothing, that have infectious skin particles.

Monkeypox: Experts say no need to panic as disease less contagious, rarely fatal

With the WHO declaring monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern and India reporting four cases of the disease, experts on Sunday said there is no need to panic as it is less contagious and rarely fatal.

According to these experts, a monkeypox outbreak can effectively be tackled by strong surveillance. The virus spread can be contained by isolation of confirmed cases and quarantine of contacts, they said, and underlined that immunocompromised individuals need to take care.

Senior scientist at Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) Dr Pragya Yadav said monkeypox virus is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus having two distinct genetic clades — the central African (Congo Basin) clade and the west African clade.

“The recent outbreak which has affected several countries leading to a worrisome situation is caused by the west African strain which is less severe than the Congo lineage reported earlier. The cases reported in India are also of the less severe west African lineage,” she told PTI.

The NIV is one of the major institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Epidemiologist and infectious diseases physician Dr Chandrakant Lahariya said monkeypox is not a new virus. It has been present globally for five decades, and there is a reasonable understanding of its viral structure, transmission and pathogenicity, he added.

“The virus causes mostly mild illness. It is less contagious and requires close personal contact with symptomatic individuals in contrast to the SARS-CoV-2 that had a respiratory spread and a high proportion of asymptomatic cases.

“There is every reason, as of now, to believe that a monkeypox outbreak can effectively be tackled and the virus contained by isolation of confirmed cases, quarantine of contacts and the use of authorised smallpox vaccines as ‘off-label’ for ‘ring vaccination,” Lahariya said, adding that vaccination for the general population is not currently recommended.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern and called on nations to work closely with communities of men who have sex with men and adopt measures that protect the health, human rights and dignity of affected communities.

More than 16,000 cases of the disease have now been reported from 75 countries and there have been five deaths so far as a result of the outbreak.

Chief of Covid Working Group of NTAGI Dr N K Arora said there is no need to panic because the disease is less infectious and rarely fatal. But individuals with immunocompromised states need to be particularly careful, he said.

“Even though its spread is a matter of concern, there is no need to panic. The virus can be contained by strong surveillance, isolation of confirmed cases, contact-tracing,” he told PTI.

Based on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, India has put in a surveillance system for detection and tracking of monkeypox cases in the country.

India has so far reported four cases of the disease – three in Kerala and one in Delhi. The Centre on Sunday held a high-level review meeting after a 34-year-old man from the national capital with no history of foreign travel tested positive for the monkeypox virus.

The Union Health Ministry had last week reviewed the functioning of health screening of international travellers arriving in India at airports and ports.

Airport and port health officers (APHOs and PHOs) and directors from regional offices of Health and Family Welfare who attended the meeting were advised to ensure strict health screening of all arriving international travellers to minimise the risk of importation of monkeypox cases into the country, a health ministry statement had said.

According to WHO, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

Monkeypox typically presents with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.

It is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks.

In the ‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’ issued to states and Union territories, the Centre has stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring a prolonged close contact.

It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens of an infected person.

Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals like small mammals, including rodents (rats, squirrels), and non-human primates (monkeys, apes) or through bush meat preparation.

The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) of monkeypox is usually from six to 13 days but can range from five to 21 days, the document stated.

The case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically ranged from zero to 11 per cent in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around three-six per cent, it said.

Its symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one-three days of fever onset, lasting for around two-four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they become itchy (in the crust stage).

Monkeypox: Centre holds high-level meeting as India’s tally climbs

The Centre on Sunday held a high-level review meeting after a 34-year-old man from the national capital with no history of foreign travel tested positive for the monkeypox virus, making it the fourth case of the disease reported in India.

Sources said the meeting was chaired by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and attended by officials from the Health ministry, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and ICMR among others.

The new patient who is presently recovering at a designated isolation centre at the Lok Nayak Hospital had attended a stag party in Manali in Himachal Pradesh recently, official sources told PTI.

A resident of West Delhi, the patient was isolated at the Hospital around three days ago after he showed symptoms of the disease.

His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Saturday which came out positive, Union Health Ministry officials said.

The close contacts of the case have been identified and are under quarantine as per the Ministry of Health’s guidelines,” the health ministry said in a statement.

Three cases of monkeypox had earlier been reported from Kerala.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *