Centre issues guidelines to States on management of Monkeypox disease; no cases reported in India

New Delhi, May 31, 2022

The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare today issued Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox (MPX) to all States and Union Territories in view of the increasing reports of case in non-endemic countries.

The Ministry said no cases of monkeypox disease had been reported in India so far and the Guidelines were issued as part of a pro-active and risk-based approach for management of MPX and to ensure advance preparedness across the country.

As per the Guidelines, a confirmed case is laboratory confirmed for monkeypox virus by detection of unique sequences of viral DNA either by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or sequencing. All the clinical specimens should be transported to the apex laboratory of ICMR-NIV (Pune) routed through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network of the respective district/state.

The Guidelines include epidemiology of the disease (including host, incubation period, period of communicability and mode of transmission; contact and case definitions; clinical features and its complication, diagnosis, case management, risk communication, guidance on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) including use of personal protective equipment.

The Guidelines stresses on surveillance and rapid identification of new cases as the key public health measures for outbreak containment, mandating need to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission. It explains the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, IPC at home, patient isolation and ambulance transfer strategies, additional precautions that needs to be taken care of and duration of isolation procedures.

As per the Guidelines, contacts should be monitored at least daily for the onset of signs/symptoms for a period of 21 days (as per case definition) from the last contact with a patient or their contaminated materials during the infectious period.

Raising awareness of risk factors under risk communication and preventive measures, the Guidelines explain in detail about educating people about the measures for Monkeypox virus like avoiding contact with any material of the sick person, isolation of infected patient from others, practicing good hand hygiene and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.

Monkeypox has been reported as endemic in several central and western African countries such as Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone.

However, cases have been also reported in certain non-endemic countries such as USA, United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Canada, Austria, Israel, and Switzerland.

"Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare continues to maintain a close watch over the evolving situation," an official press release added.

NNN