The Uttar Pradesh government has directed hospitals and health officials to follow standard operating procedures regarding monkeypox infection. UP government advisory It said that no case of monkeypox has been reported in the country so far, but all hospitals have been asked to remain alert, especially if a patient with international travel shows symptoms.
The central government has also asked the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to closely monitor the status of monkeypox and send samples of symptomatic travelers to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. further investigation.
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 less severe clinically.
According to the WHO, monkeypox usually presents clinically with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and can lead to a variety of medical complications. Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
According to WHO data, monkeypox Worldwide infection cases have increased to 200 and cases have been reported in 20 countries.
“We have about 200 confirmed cases and over 100 suspected cases, but we expect those numbers to rise. It’s in more than 20 countries and four WHO regions” Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID at WHO 19 said the emergency disease unit’s technical chief of response.
Signs and symptoms of monkeypox
- Fever, severe headache, lymphadenopathy (inflammation of the lymph nodes), back pain, myalgia (muscle pain), and an acute asthenia (lack of energy).
- Lymphadenopathy is a distinguishing feature of monkeypox compared to other diseases that may initially appear similar (chickenpox, measles, chickenpox).
- The skin rash usually starts within 1-3 days of fever.
- The rash is more concentrated on the face and extremities than on the torso. It affects the face (in 95% of cases), the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet (75% of cases). Oral mucous membranes (in 70% of cases), genitals (30%), conjunctiva (20%), as well as the cornea are affected.
- The rash progresses from macules (lesions with a flat base) to papules (slightly raised firm sores), vesicles (clear fluid-filled sores), pustules (yellowish fluid-filled sores), and crusts that swell. and fall off, develop gradually.
- The number of lesions varies from a few to several thousand.
- In severe cases, sores can accumulate until large areas of skin loosen.
monkeypox transmission
- Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes a milder infection. The virus is mainly spread from person to person through contact with respiratory droplets, which can enter the body through mucous membranes in the eyes, mouth, and nose.
- In addition, monkeypox can also be spread when a person comes into contact with infected wounds or body fluids; Indirectly, a person can catch monkeypox from contact with contaminated clothing or linens.