As India reported its first case of monkeypox, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Friday announced that it has trained 15 research and diagnostic laboratories across the country for early detection of the virus. .
“To help the country’s preparedness” detecting monkey pox15 virus research and diagnostic laboratories across the country, which are geographically well distributed and strategically located, have already been trained in clinical trials by ICMR -NIV, Pune,” ICMR said. Said on Twitter.
This comes as India went on alert after a Keralite who returned from the UAE on Thursday tested positive for monkeypox.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the case was confirmed through testing of samples of a symptomatic person at the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
She further said that all measures have been taken to contain the spread of the disease and there is no cause for concern.
This was reiterated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said monkeypox could be controlled just as the spread of Covid-19 was checked.
Following this, the Center sent a high-level multi-disciplinary team to collaborate with state health officials in setting up public health measures.
The Kerala central team comprises experts from the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi and senior officials from the Ministry of Health as well as the Regional Office of Health and Family Welfare, Kerala.
An office said, “In the wake of the report of a confirmed case of monkeypox disease from Kollam district of Kerala, the Ministry of Health has initiated a multidisciplinary central plan to support the Government of Kerala in the investigation of the outbreak and to set up necessary public health measures.” It has been decided to depute the team.” The memorandum of the Ministry of Health stated.
“The Government of India is taking proactive steps by carefully monitoring the situation and coordinating with the states, if any such possibility arises,” it said.
The central government has written a letter to all the states and union territories mentioning that important steps should be taken.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (virus transmitted from animals to humans) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in patients with smallpox, although it is clinically less severe.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.
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