Union Health Ministry issues Mpox Guidelines to States

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra wrote to all states on 9th September, stressing the importance of screening and testing suspected cases in light of one suspected Mpox case that was reported from Delhi on 7th September. 

The state AIDS control societies have been encouraged to stay vigilant and follow up on cases, since a significant percentage of reported cases worldwide include individuals living with HIV. Additionally, the states have been urged to list isolation centers where suspected and proven cases of the infection can be treated. 

In order to orient the stakeholders, the health secretary has encouraged the states to adopt four crucial actions. First, providing contact tracing and orientation to the state and district-level surveillance teams regarding the definitions of suspected, probable, and confirmed cases of Mpox. 

Second, states are required to teach medical staff members who treat skin conditions and STDs as well as those who are enrolled in the government’s HIV control program about common indications and symptoms, clinical management, and treatment, all while adhering to isolation protocols. 

Thirdly, the letter requests that states test and screen individuals who may be suspected of being cases in the community. Since HIV is mostly spread through sexual contact, screening can be done in hospitals or other locations designated by the HIV control program to target males who have sex with men and sex workers, among other groups.

Fourth, there should be frequent and thorough communication about the risks to the community, hospital staff, and specific regions. 

“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 letter mentions.

The World Health Organization’s highest level of alert, Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), was applied to the disease before the first probable case was found in India; nonetheless, there is still little chance of the illness spreading further within the nation. Following the WHO’s alarm, experts met last month and concluded that while there was a chance that cases may be brought into the country through travel from impacted nations, there was little chance of a local outbreak that would spread over time. 

According to the most recent communication by the states, young men between the ages of 18 and 44 were the most frequently affected by the virus. The most common method of transmission was through sexual contact, which was followed by non-sexual interaction between individuals. Fever was the most often reported symptom, followed by rashes all over the body or on the genital area. According to the World Health Organization, those living with HIV account for around half of all cases worldwide, as stated in the letter. 

Thirty instances have been documented since the disease was initially discovered in India, where the WHO had previously classified Mpox as a PHEIC in 2022. The most recent case was recorded in March of this year. The present outbreak raises concerns because strain Ib, a deadlier Mpox strain, is spreading through non-conventional means, such as sexual contact.

Monkeypox, often known as Mpox, is a self-limiting viral infection brought on by the Mpox virus (MPXV). Fever, headaches, aches in the muscles, back discomfort, low energy, enlarged lymph nodes, and rashes that resemble the pox and continue for two to three weeks are the most typical symptoms of Mpox. Although it is a self-limiting illness, people with weakened immune systems and youngsters are most susceptible to mortality. 

Also Read: India’s First Mpox Case Confirmed, Patient Stable in Delhi Hospital