As monkeypox cases rise abroad, state asks hospitals to be on alert

With cases of monkeypox being reported abroad, health authorities are stepping up surveillance in Karnataka.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease that occurs primarily in the tropical rainforest areas of central and western Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.

Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. It’s usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting two to four weeks. Severe cases can occur. The fatality rate may vary from 1 per cent to 10 per cent.

On Saturday, the health department asked medical facilities in Karnataka to keep heightened surveillance of people who present with an unexplained rash, have travelled in the last 21 days to a country that has confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox or reported contact with a person or people with confirmed or suspected monkeypox.

As on May 20, cases of monkeypox have been reported from the UK, the US, Europe, Australia and Canada. But there were no deaths.

Also Read | How concerned should we be about monkeypox?

The cases that have been reported worldwide are both due to local transmission and travel to Africa.

While no cases have been reported in India yet, the chances of the disease occurring in the country cannot be ruled out.

All suspected cases are to be isolated at designated healthcare facilities until all lesions are resolved and a fresh layer of skin has formed or until the treating physician decides to end isolation.

All such patients are to be reported to the district surveillance officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

All infection control practices are to be followed while treating such patients. Laboratory samples consisting of fluid from vesicles, blood, sputum, etc., are to be sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for monkeypox testing in case of suspicion.

If a positive case is detected, contact tracing has to be initiated immediately to identify the patient’s contacts in the last 21 days. Monkeypox can be transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans.

The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract or mucous membranes (eyes, nose or mouth).

The animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch, bush meat preparation, direct contact with body fluids or lesion material or indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated bedding. Human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact.

It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesion material and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens of an infected person.

The incubation period is usually seven to 14 days, but can range from five to 21 days and the person is generally not contagious during this period.

An infected person may transmit the disease from one to two days before the appearance of the rash and remain contagious till all the scabs fall off.