India's Airports and Borders Are Alerted as Cases of Monkey Pox Rise Worldwide

According to sources, the Centre has alerted officials at ports, airports, and borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan to be on the lookout for incoming foreign travellers exhibiting symptoms of monkeypox (mpox). Globally, mpox has been spreading, and here are the top updates:

1. In Delhi, three state-run hospitals, Safdarjung, Lady Hardinge, and Ram Manohar Lohia, have been chosen as the primary facilities for treating, managing, and placing mpox patients under quarantine.
2. The Centre has asked all states to maintain hospital capacity to manage cases of mpox. According to sources, the public should be informed, and these hospitals should be designated as nodal centres.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's principal secretary, PK Mishra, presided over a meeting on Sunday to discuss the nation's readiness for mpox in the context of increased surveillance for early detection.
4. According to officials, there are currently no documented cases of mpox in the nation. They stated that the assessment indicates little to no chance of a significant outbreak with ongoing transmission.
5. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has deemed mpox a public health emergency of global concern due to its widespread prevalence and distribution throughout numerous African regions.
6. This time, the virus strain is distinct, more virulent, and contagious. However, according to health officials, the current assessment says there is only a little chance of a significant outbreak with the current transmission.
7. Officials are under orders from the Health Ministry to ensure the network of testing laboratories is prepared for early disease diagnosis. Currently, 32 labs across the nation are set up to test mpox.
8. According to a previous WHO statement, since 2022, 116 countries have reported 99,176 cases and 208 deaths from mpox.
9. Cases of mpox have been rising steadily in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The number of reported cases rose dramatically in the previous year. With over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths so far this year, the number of cases reported has already surpassed the total of the prior year.
10. 30 cases have been reported in India since 2022. The last case was detected in March 2024.