Odisha Govt To Increase Surveillance Of Travellers From Affected Countries Due To Monkeypox

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to monitor persons arriving from impacted countries after the Union Health Ministry issued instructions on treatment of the monkeypox virus on Tuesday, following its spread in the United States, Europe, and Africa.

Travelers who have returned from other countries to Odisha in the last 21 days would be checked for the development of symptoms, as the Ministry highlighted surveillance and prompt identification of new cases as important public health measures for containing the illness outbreak.

Dr Niranjan Mishra, director of Public Health, told TNIE that the Health and Family Welfare department has convened a conference of all CDMOs, directors of hospitals, superintendents of medical colleges, and health experts on June 2 to deliberate on the next course of action.

Health officials have also been advised to keep watchful and monitor foreign returns, particularly from African nations, he added. Despite the fact that no cases of monkeypox have been identified in the country so far, he added that an outbreak cannot be ruled out.

Dr Niranjan Mishra, director of Public Health, told TNIE that the Health and Family Welfare department has convened a conference of all CDMOs, directors of hospitals, superintendents of medical colleges, and health experts on June 2 to deliberate on the next course of action.

Health officials have also been advised to keep watchful and monitor foreign returns, particularly from African nations, he added. Despite the fact that no cases of monkeypox have been identified in the country so far, he added that an outbreak cannot be ruled out.

Contacts should be examined at least daily for the emergence of signs/symptoms for a period of 21 days (as per case definition) after the last contact with a patient or their contaminated materials during the infectious period, according to the Ministry's first set of instructions.

It said that all clinical specimens should be delivered to the ICMR-NIV (Pune) Apex Laboratory via the corresponding district/Integrated state's Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) network.

The Ministry also stated that it is closely monitoring the issue. 'We're keeping a careful eye on the situation.' MPX is a viral zoonotic illness with symptoms similar to smallpox but less clinical severity," according to a Health Ministry official.

The Ministry advised states to raise awareness about risk factors and preventive measures, including avoiding contact with ill people's materials, isolating infected patients from others, practising excellent hand hygiene, and using suitable personal protective equipment when caring for patients.

Suspected cases are people who have been to impacted countries in the recent 21 days and have symptoms including unexplained severe rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, body aches, and deep weakness, according to the guidelines.