A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox (monkeypox) transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of the viral disease, said the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.
The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable, it said.
“Samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox. The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country,” the Health Ministry said.
The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the NCDC and there is no cause of any undue concern, it said.
The Health Ministry added that the country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related cases and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk.
The Health Ministry, however, did not disclose the place of the suspected case.
Notably in Delhi, last month, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) issued standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling patients with suspected monkeypox.
In its SOP issued to head of all clinical departments/units, Chief Nursing Officer, among others, the premier institute said, “Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although clinically less severe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Monkey pox outbreak as a public health emergency of International concern, thereby requiring heightened awareness. rapid identification, and stringent infection control measures to prevent further spread.”
The SOP outlines the necessary steps to handle Monkeypox cases in the AllMS Emergency Department, it said.
The AIIMS in its SoP said, “Upon arrival, patients with fever, rash, or a history of contact with confirmed Monkeypox cases should be flagged for immediate assessment.”
Identify key symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and characteristic skin lesions (maculopapular rash that may progress to vesicles and pustules), it said.
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda had also reviewed the preparedness for Monkeypox.