Kerala to issue revised Mpox guidelines following first confirmed case of new strain
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Sep 24, 2024, 9:06 AM ISTThe Kerala health department is set to release updated guidelines for preventing and treating Mpox following the state's first confirmed case of the new strain. A meeting of the State Level Rapid Response Team (RRT) assessed the situation, and Health Minister Veena George stated that necessary actions will be taken if cases rise.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala health department has announced plans to issue updated Mpox prevention and treatment guidelines, following the confirmation of the country's first case of a new strain in the state on Monday. The State Level Rapid Response Team (RRT) convened to evaluate the situation. After the meeting, Health Minister Veena George stated that directives have been given to prepare for necessary actions if the number of cases rises.
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"Isolation facilities have been set up in all districts, and monitoring has been strengthened, including at airports. Currently, testing facilities have been arranged in five laboratories. If required, testing facilities will be expanded to more labs," she said in a statement.
Though the Health Minister did not explicitly state that Kerala had reported the first confirmed case of the new Mpox strain in India, she did announce that revised guidelines for the prevention and treatment of Mpox would soon be introduced in the state.
The minister advised that individuals arriving from abroad who exhibit Mpox symptoms should promptly inform the health department and seek treatment. Additionally, she instructed government and private hospitals to report any suspected Mpox cases to the health department for immediate action.
Earlier, official sources in New Delhi confirmed that India reported its first case of the Mpox Clade 1b strain in a 38-year-old man from Kerala’s Malappuram district. The patient, who tested positive last week, had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates.
The earlier case of Mpox in India involved a 26-year-old resident of Hisar, Haryana, who tested positive for the West African Clade 2 strain earlier this month. Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2022, India has reported a total of 30 cases.
What is Mpox?
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus. The virus has two main clades: Clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and Clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb). The 2022–2023 global outbreak was driven by the Clade IIb strain.
Symptoms:
Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or mucosal lesions lasting 2 to 4 weeks, alongside fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus can be transmitted through close contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals. Additionally, during pregnancy, the virus may be transmitted to the fetus or the newborn during or after birth.
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