The world health body appealed to vaccine makers to step up their production and accelerate vaccine dissemination, especially across African countries reeling under the effects of Mpox disease.
New Delhi: With the number of MPOX cases increasing across the world, the health ministry is working with healthcare professionals to manage the situation efficiently. There are currently no reported cases of Monkeypox in India till date but cautionary measures are being put in place to prevent and control the spread of the disease, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an urgent increase in vaccine production to combat the outbreak.
At a review meeting held during the day, although the possibility of a few imported cases being detected in the coming weeks was not entirely ruled out, it was assessed that the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low for India at present.
Since WHO first declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in 2022, a total of 30 cases were detected in India with the last case being reported this March, the health ministry said in a statement.
There are no reported cases of Monkeypox in India as of now, it said. The situation is being monitored closely by the ministry, the statement said.
WHO Appeals To Vaccine Makers
In view of the World Health Organization (WHO) again declaring Monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, a detailed review of the situation and the preparedness was taken by Union Health Minister J P Nadda at the meeting with the senior officials of his ministry.
The world health body appealed to vaccine makers to step up their production and accelerate vaccine dissemination, especially across African countries reeling under the effects of Mpox disease. “Our vaccine providers must amplify their production to ensure that more vaccines are available,” urged Margaret Harris, a representative from the Global Health Organization, as gathered from various reports.
It was decided that as a matter of abundant caution, certain measures such as sensitizing the health units at all airports, seaports and ground crossings; readying the testing laboratories (32); gearing up health facilities for detecting, isolating and managing any case are put in place.
At the meeting, it was noted that Monkeypox infections are usually self-limiting lasting between 2-4 weeks and patients generally recover with supportive management.
The transmission requires prolonged close contact with an infected case and is generally through the sexual route, direct contact with body/lesion fluid, or contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person, the statement said.
The WHO’s declaration of 2022 was revoked in May 2023. Since 2022, WHO has globally reported 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to Monkeypox from 116 countries.
(With inputs from agencies)