Issuing an alert to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Central government has asked them to keep a close watch on the monkeypox situatio, in wake of a rapid spurt of cases abroad, and send samples of symptomatic travellers to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for further investigation.
Keep a close watch on monkeypox situation abroad. Send samples (to NIV, Pune) only in such cases where people display certain specific symptoms. Not samples of sick passengers, sources said.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus, part of the same family as smallpox, though typically less severe.
Generally occurring in remote parts of Central and West Africa, the virus wasĀ first detectedĀ in captive monkeys in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970.
Initial symptomsĀ of monkeypox includeĀ fever, headaches, muscle ache, swelling and backpain.
Patients typically develop a rash one to three days after the appearance of fever, often beginning on the face and spreading to other parts of the body, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
The rash, which can cause severe itching, then goes through several stages before the legions scab and fall off.
The infection typically lasts two to four weeks and usually clears up on its own.
There are currently no proven, safe treatments for monkeypox, though most cases are mild.
Transmission of the disease can also occur via the placenta from mother to fetus (which can lead to congenital Monkeypox) or close contact during and after birth, the world health body says.
While close physical contact is a well-known risk factor for transmission, it is unclear at this time if monkeypox can be transmitted specifically through sexual transmission routes, according to the WHO.
People suspected of having the virus may beĀ isolated in a negative pressure roomĀ ā spaces used to isolate patients ā and monitored by health-care professionals using personal protective equipment.