New Delhi: In the wake of the rising cases of Monkeypox in the country, Union Health Ministry on Wednesday released a list of Dos and Don'ts to prevent the spread of Monkeypox disease.
India needs to be prepared in view of the increasing reports of cases in non-endemic countries.
Here's a list of dos and don'ts:
DOS
Isolate infected patients from others.
Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitisers.
When near infected individuals wear masks and disposable gloves.
Use disinfectants for environmental sanitation.
DON'TS
Don't share linen, bedding or towels with people who have contracted monkeypox.
Don't wash soiled linen or laundry of infected persons with those of non-infected persons.
Don't attend public events if you exhibit symptoms of monkeypox.
Don't stigmatize groups of people based on misinformation.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox (MPX) is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity. MPX was first discovered in 1958 in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name 'Monkeypox.' The first human case of Monkeypox was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1970.
The Monkeypox Virus primarily occurs in Central and West Africa. In 2003, the first Monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa was reported in the United States of America, which was linked to contact with infected pet prairie dogs. These pets had been housed with Gambian pouched rats and dormice that had been imported into the country from Ghana.
Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complications.
Mode of Transmission
Human-to-human transmission is known to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact. It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens of an infected person.
Animal-to-human transmission may occur by a bite or scratch of infected animals like small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes) or through bush meat preparation.
