Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra Issues Advisory on Mpox Precautions
New Delhi, India – Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra has issued an advisory to states and union territories about the precautionary actions, symptoms, and causes of Mpox, a disease declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. The advisory noted that India has not reported any cases of Mpox yet.
Key Public Health Actions
The advisory emphasized the need for states to disseminate the Ministry’s “Guidelines for Management of Monkeypox Disease” and to act on the updated CD-Alert on Mpox from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). States are also directed to review public health preparedness, particularly at health facilities, and identify isolation facilities for suspect and confirmed cases.
Transmission and Symptoms
Mpox primarily affects young males with a median age of 34 years. The most common mode of transmission is sexual contact, followed by non-sexual person-to-person contact. About half of the cases with available HIV status information are in persons living with HIV. Common symptoms include rashes and fever.
Recent Developments
A suspected case of Mpox was reported in Delhi in a man who recently returned from abroad. The patient is in isolation and stable, with samples being tested to confirm Mpox. The Ministry assured that the case is being managed according to established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing.
Global Context
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been a public health issue in parts of Africa for many years but became a global concern in 2022. Since January 1, 2022, 102,997 laboratory-confirmed cases and 186 probable cases, including 223 deaths, have been reported to the WHO from 121 member states. In July 2024 alone, 1,425 cases and six deaths were reported globally, with the majority from the African region.
Doubts Revealed
Union Health Secretary -: The Union Health Secretary is a senior government official in India who is responsible for overseeing the country’s health policies and programs.
Apurva Chandra -: Apurva Chandra is the name of the current Union Health Secretary in India.
Advisory -: An advisory is a set of recommendations or guidelines issued by authorities to help people stay safe and informed.
States and Union Territories -: India is divided into states and union territories. States have their own governments, while union territories are governed directly by the central government.
Mpox -: Mpox is a disease caused by a virus. It can spread through close contact, especially during sexual activities.
Isolation facilities -: Isolation facilities are special places where people who are sick with contagious diseases are kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading.
Public health preparedness -: Public health preparedness means being ready to handle health emergencies, like outbreaks of diseases, by having plans and resources in place.
Sexual contact -: Sexual contact means physical contact between people that involves sexual activity. It can sometimes spread diseases.
Suspected case -: A suspected case is when someone shows symptoms of a disease, but it has not yet been confirmed by medical tests.
Globally -: Globally means all around the world, not just in one country.
Deaths -: Deaths refer to the number of people who have died because of a disease or other causes.
