Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been continuously monitoring the situation arising from the outbreak of MonkeyPox in the country, the PMO said on Sunday.
As advised by the Prime Minister, Dr P K Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday to review the status of preparedness for Mpox in the country and related public health measures.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 14th August, 2024 in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa.
The high-level PMO meeting was briefed that as of now, there is no reported case of Mpox in the country. As per the present assessment, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low.
The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister was informed that Mpox infections are generally self-limiting lasting between 2-4 weeks; Mpox patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management.
The Mpox transmission happens through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient. It happens largely through the sexual route, direct contact with body/lesion fluid of the patient, or through the contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person.
Mr Mishra directed that surveillance be enhanced and effective measures be taken for prompt detection of cases. He directed that the testing laboratories network should be geared up for early diagnosis. At present, 32 laboratories are equipped for testing in the country.
He directed that protocols for prevention and treatment of the disease may be disseminated on a large scale. An awareness campaign be undertaken amongst healthcare providers regarding the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need for timely notification to the surveillance system, he said.
The meeting was attended by Dr V K Paul, Member Niti Aayog; Mr Apurva Chandra, Secretary (Health & Family Welfare); Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary (Health Research); Mr Krishna S Vatsa, Member Secretary (National Disaster Management Authority); Mr Sanjay Jaju, Secretary (Information & Broadcasting) and Mr Govind Mohan, Home Secretary-designate, along with officers of other ministries.
As per an earlier statement from WHO, globally since 2022 from 116 countries, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths were reported due to Mpox.
Subsequently, they have reported that Mpox cases have been steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last year, the reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 15, 600 cases and 537 deaths.
Since the 2022 declaration of Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO, 30 cases were reported in India. The last case of Mpox was detected in March 2024.