Mpox: Indian doctors explain how India can protect itself from the virus

The deadly new strain of Mpox often called monkeypox first appeared in Central Africa and has since spread throughout the continent and beyond posing a serious threat to public health worldwideThe virus which was previously limited to isolated areas is now approaching India as Pakistan has already reported initial cases The unanswered question is Is India well equipped to handle one more possible pandemicldquoIt is evident that Mpox is highly transmissible through close human contact particularly during intimacy or through sexual fluids This includes actions such as touching hugging kissing or even sharing utensils or clothing of an infected personrdquo Dr Prashant Sinha head Emergency PSRI Hospital saidHe said that the virus can also spread through contact with contaminated materials like bedding towels or surfaces that have been exposed to the virusldquoWe need to be highly alert in terms of coming close to an infected person or a potential carrier who has a history of travel particularly to any African nationrdquo Dr Sinha addedOn Wednesday the World Health Organization WHO announced a global health emergency due to the rapid spread of malaria in 13 African nations including the Congo where there have been documented cases of 14000 and 524 deathsAlso Read Sunita Williams stuck in space How can it affect her health Experts explainldquoMpox affects the functioning of the brain and a headache is just one manifestation of it The virus can cause inflammation in brain tissues leading to more serious conditions such as encephalitis We need to be vigilant and monitor patients closely particularly those who present with neurological symptoms to ensure timely interventionrdquo Dr Praveen Gupta principal director amp chief of Neurology Fortis Hospital saidHe added that the neurological impact of Mpox calls for the need for a multidisciplinary approach to managing the diseaseExperts suggest a multipronged approach to prevent Mpox spread in India including public awareness campaigns vaccination drives and strengthening healthcare infrastructureEarly detection and isolation of cases are crucial and WHO recommends contact tracing and quarantine measuresPublic awareness campaigns and preparedness are essential to prevent Mpox from becoming a widespread epidemic The COVID19 pandemic lessons should serve as a wakeup call for IndiaPreviously referred to as monkeypox Mpox is an infectious disease brought on by the MPXV virus which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genusThis virus belongs to two different genetic clades Clade I and Clade II The illness mainly spreads by direct contact with infected people animals or contaminated objects Symptoms include severe rashes fever and enlarged lymph nodesThe virus was originally discovered in 1958 in Danish research monkeys and the first case of humans was documented in Congo in 1970 Following smallpoxs elimination in 1980 Mpox started to emerge in Central Eastern and Western AfricaAlso Read lsquoTravelling on Mumbairsquos roads can contribute to back and knee pain DoctorsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever