Prevent undue panic: Centre advises states on mpox

The Centre on Monday advised states and Union territories to screen and test all suspect mpox cases in the community, and identify isolation facilities in hospitals for both suspect and confirmed patients.

In a letter to states and Union territories on Monday, Union health secretary Apurva Chandra asked them to prevent any undue panic amongst the masses.

"No new case of mpox has been reported in India in the current outbreak, and none of the samples in suspected cases has tested positive," he said while emphasising the need to stay alert.

Chandra underlined that the ministry of health and family welfare continues to closely monitor the evolving situation.

He asked the states and Union Territories to review public health preparedness, particularly at the health facility level, identify isolation facilities in hospitals, and ensure the availability of required logistics and trained human resources at such facilities.

The Union health secretary also called for the orientation of all key stakeholders with a focus on surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme at state and district levels to re-orient them on definitions of suspect, probable, confirmed cases, contact tracing and other surveillance activities.

In the letter, Chandra asked all states to make people aware of the mpox disease, its mode of spread, the need for timely reporting and taking preventive measures, besides reviewing the public health preparedness and isolation facilities for both suspect and confirmed cases.

"No new case of mpox has been reported in India in the current outbreak, and none of the samples in suspected cases has tested positive," he said and asserted that the health ministry continues to closely monitor the evolving situation.

On Sunday, the ministry said a man who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox transmission has been identified as a suspected case of the disease and his samples have been collected for testing. It said the man has been isolated at a designated hospital and there is no cause for concern.

In the letter, Chandra said the World Health Organisation on August 14 declared the current outbreak of mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

As highlighted by WHO, the decision was taken in view of the continuously rising trend of mpox cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last six months. Spread of mpox cases has been reported from newer East African countries such as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

In its latest situational update, WHO has highlighted that the clinical picture of the cases has largely remained the same, Chandra said listing key characteristics according to which most cases are young males with a median age of 34 years (range 18-44 years).

Among modes of transmission reported globally, sexual contact is the most commonly reported, followed by person-to-person non-sexual contact and among cases where at least one symptom is reported, the most common symptom is rash, followed by fever, Chandra said in the letter.

Around half of the cases with available information on their HIV status are reported to be in persons living with HIV, he said.

He said the disease surveillance network under the IDSP continues to monitor for any clustering of cases.

Health units at points of entry (airports) have been instructed to strengthen health screening of incoming travellers to detect any suspected case, the Union health secretary said, adding the laboratory network under Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also been strengthened.

"Further, considering the disease epidemiology, the State AIDS Control societies are requested to be kept on alert to pick up on suspect cases and improve community awareness on the issue to promote timely reporting of cases," the letter said.

Chandra also highlighted some key public health actions required to prevent/minimize the risk of any case or death due to mpox in the country.

He stressed on wide dissemination of the ministry's guidelines for management of mpox and dissemination and action on the updated CD-Alert on the disease issued by NCDC.