By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Following the detection of monkeypox cases in several countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern about the potential spread of the infection in India. In response, the Bihar Health Department has heightened its alertness and issued an advisory to the public. Health desks have been established at various locations, including Patna Airport, to monitor the situation closely.
Patna District Magistrate, Dr Chandrashekhar Singh, has urged the public to adhere to the health advisory issued by the government to prevent the spread of monkeypox (Mpox). He noted that the WHO declared the disease a global public health emergency on August 14, 2024.
The Patna district administration has also set up a health desk to screen travellers arriving from other states, as both dengue and monkeypox are spreading rapidly. The medical team is on high alert, particularly for symptoms of monkeypox. Medical staff at these desks will test individuals presenting with rashes on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or mouth, as well as symptoms such as swelling in lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle cramps, and fatigue.
On the instructions of Civil Surgeon Dr Mithileshwar Kumar, the State Health Committee has issued a duty roster and installed two large banners for the ‘I Help You’ desks.
Dr Ranjit Kumar, State Survey Officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, advised that the travel history of passengers arriving from abroad in the last 21 days should be documented at the international airport, and they should be required to complete a self-declaration form. Passengers arriving by ship should also be monitored in collaboration with the Inland Navigation Authority at Gaighat. In cases where monkeypox is suspected, samples will be collected and sent for testing to AIIMS Delhi or the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata. Isolation wards for suspected monkeypox patients will be established at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) and NMCH in Patna. The state government has instructed the superintendents of these institutions to reserve five beds for suspected patients and an additional five beds for confirmed cases in this ward.
Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease linked to the orthopox virus, which is related to the Variola virus responsible for smallpox. The disease was first identified in monkeys in 1958, leading to its name. Monkeypox can be transmitted to humans from small animals such as rats and squirrels. Symptoms include fever, headache, back pain, muscle cramps, chills, fatigue, and swelling of the lymph nodes, resembling those of smallpox. After 1 to 3 days of fever, red rashes appear on the face and spread across the body, eventually forming blisters. These symptoms can persist for 2 to 4 weeks, with a mortality rate ranging from 1% to 10%. Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox does not spread through the air but through close contact with an infected person or contaminated objects.
