Nagpur: After the WHO declared monkeypox, a viral infection caused by the Mpox virus belonging to the same family as smallpox, as a public health emergency of international concern, the state govt has put health authorities on alert at entry ports.
With Nagpur having an international airport, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and airport health officer teams are coordinating to keep an eye on flyers.NMC has asked the airport team to inform them in case they come across any suspected patient of monkeypox. The state govt has notified that any suspect international flyer would be isolated and sample would be collected for testing.
The GMCH too has reserved five beds for isolating Mpox suspects. NMC medical officer (health) Dr Deepak Selukar told TOI that as per state govt guidelines, a three-pronged strategy has been adopted. “If any flyer is suspected to be suffering from or showing similar symptoms, the individual would be isolated. Next is reserving some beds at the medical college for such patients. Investigation would be done by ICMR designated lab at AIIMS Nagpur,” he said.
Dr Meena Mishra, principal investigator of the Viral Research Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) and professor & head, Department of Microbiology at AIIMS Nagpur, said surveillance has been stepped up in view of the new strain of Mpox which has caused mortality in African countries.
Dr Mishra added that the AIIMS Nagpur lab would be receiving samples from across Vidarbha and adjoining areas. “The VRDL would forward positive Mpox samples to NIV Pune for genome sequencing for better surveillance,” she said.
At present, there is a surge/outbreak of cases of chikungunya and dengue. “Both viral infections are characterised by a rash. Monkeypox is also an exanthematous (skin eruption) viral fever associated with a typical rash,” said Dr Mishra and added, “History of travel should be obtained. The rash of monkeypox should be differentiated and judiciously tested for Mpox.”
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