Mpox, advisory issued in Chhattisgarh, for prevention and control

Mpox, advisory issued in Chhattisgarh, for prevention and control

durgesh dubey
28 Aug, 2024

Mpox

Chhattisgarh State Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal has instructed all district health officials to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued in the advisory on the prevention and control of Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox).

It is noteworthy that the Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, issued an advisory on August 20, 2024, for the prevention and control of Mpox. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024. Given the spread of the infection in various countries, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has issued detailed guidelines for surveillance, testing, and treatment, which have also been implemented in Chhattisgarh for the identification, testing, and treatment of Mpox cases.

What is Mpox?

Mpox is a zoonotic disease primarily found in Central and West Africa, but cases have recently been reported in other countries, including an outbreak in Kerala, India, in March 2024. Symptoms of Mpox typically include fever, rashes, and swollen lymph nodes. It is generally a self-limiting infection with symptoms resolving within 2-4 weeks, although severe cases are more common in children. The mortality rate in severe cases ranges from 1% to 10%. The incubation period for the virus is usually 6-13 days but can range from 5 to 25 days. The infection can spread from 1-2 days before the appearance of rashes until all scabs have fallen off.

Transmission of Mpox:

Mpox can be transmitted from animals to humans and from human to human. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through prolonged close contact with an infected person via large respiratory droplets. It can also spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, lesions, or contaminated materials like clothing and linen. Transmission from animals to humans can occur through direct contact with infected animals.

Surveillance and Guidelines:

Guidelines have been issued for the surveillance of suspected Mpox cases. These include the isolation of suspected cases to prevent the spread of infection, treatment of the patient, identification of contacts, protection of healthcare workers, and other effective measures to control and prevent the infection.

Standard definitions provided in the guidelines must be used for Mpox surveillance, and any suspected case must be reported to the District Surveillance Unit or State Surveillance Unit. Even a single confirmed case will prompt the district-level Rapid Response Team to conduct an outbreak investigation and submit a report to the state office. Samples from suspected cases will be collected following the prescribed procedures and sent to designated laboratories for testing. Additionally, a contact tracing team under the District Surveillance Officer will be established in every district to monitor contacts of confirmed cases for 21 days for symptoms such as fever or rashes. Contacts will be advised to refrain from donating blood, organs, tissues, semen, etc., for 21 days, and healthcare workers exposed to Mpox patients without protective equipment will be monitored for the same duration.

Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, taking the situation seriously, has directed health department officials to organize awareness camps in all blocks, especially in Gram Panchayats, to educate citizens about Mpox, its transmission, and preventive measures. He has also emphasized the strict implementation of all necessary guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the advisory.