According to an official statement, no Mpox case has been reported in India so far and measures are being taken for enhanced surveillance and early detection of the virus.

Mpox: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently keeping a close eye on the Mpox situation unfolding in many parts of the world, even as a high-level meeting chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra was held on Sunday to review Mpox preparedness. If the deadly virus reaches India.

According to an official statement, no Mpox case has been reported in the country so far and measures are being taken for enhanced surveillance and early detection of the virus.

An outbreak is unlikely

Notably, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), raising fears of its spread and a Covid-19-esque global pandemic spreading across parts of Africa.

However, as per the current assessment, the risk of a large-scale outbreak with continued transmission is low, according to a central government statement.

During Sunday's meeting, it was said that Mpox infection is usually self-limiting, lasts between two to four weeks, and its patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management, the statement said.

Mpox is transmitted through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient.

Among the steps taken so far, an expert meeting was convened by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on August 12 to assess India's risk, besides, the communicable disease alert on Mpox issued earlier by the NCDC is being updated. Capture new developments, officials said.

Sensitization of health teams at international airports (ports of entry) has been undertaken, he said.

State health officials became sensitive

According to the statement, a video conference was convened by the Director General Health Services with more than 200 participants across the country, while state level health officials, along with Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) units in states and ports. Access, was sensitive in this regard.

Mishra directed surveillance and effective measures for early detection of cases and asked the network of testing laboratories to gear up for early diagnosis, the statement said.

The chief secretary said that protocols for prevention and treatment of the disease should be widely disseminated, emphasizing the need for awareness campaigns among health care providers about the signs and symptoms of the disease and timely notification to surveillance systems.

At present 32 laboratories are ready for Mpox testing in the country.

Fear of Mpox

In an earlier statement, the WHO said that 99,176 cases and 208 deaths from Mpox have been reported globally in 116 countries since 2022.

Since then, Mpox cases have been steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Last year, there was a significant increase in reported cases and the number of cases reported so far this year has surpassed last year's total with over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

Since the WHO declared a public health emergency in 2022, India has reported 30 cases.

The last case of Mpox was reported in March 2024.

(with PTI input)