India reports first confirmed case of monkeypox

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: India on Thursday recorded its first confirmed case of monkeypox. A person who returned to Kerala from abroad tested positive for the diseases. He was hospitalised after showing signs of monkey pox, state Health Minister Veena George said.

The Union Health Ministry has rushed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Kerala to collaborate with the state health authorities in instituting public health measures after the first case was confirmed in Kollam district of the state

Experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a doctor from RML Hospital, New Delhi, and a senior official from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and experts from its regional office are part of the team.

The team will take a stock of on-ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions. The state Health Department will work closely with the central team.

Meanwhile, earlier in day, the ministry asked states to increase surveillance on monkeypox disease which has been reported in many countries across the world. The ministry in a letter said that continued expansion of spread of the disease globally calls for proactive strengthening and operationalisation of requisite public health actions for preparedness and response against the disease in India.

The Centre, in the letter, said that orientation and regular re-orientation of all key stakeholders including health screening teams at points of entry, disease surveillance teams, doctors working in hospitals about common signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, case definitions for suspects, probable or confirmed cases should be carried out.

–INDIA NEWS STREAM