Mumbai: The Maharashtra public health department on Monday sounded the monkeypox alert, asking the district administration to step up monitoring and surveillance, especially a day after Delhi reported its first case and India’s fourth. The state public health additional chief secretary Pradesh Vyas has asked district collectors, municipal commissioners and CEOs of zilla parishads to strengthen and operationalise requisite public health actions for preparedness and response against the infection.
Orientation and regular reorientation of all key stakeholders will be undertaken following detection of a case, testing and clinical management. As per the recent advisory issued by the Union health ministry, the state public health department has asked the district administration to identify and ensure adequate human Resource and logistic support at identified hospitals to manage suspected/ confirmed cases.
According to the department, screening and testing of all suspect cases should be done at points of entries. Patient isolation, protection of ulcers, symptomatic and supporting therapies, continued monitoring and timely treatment of complications remain the key measures to prevent mortality.
The department said that intensive communication directed at healthcare workers, identified sites in health facilities as well as the general public about simple preventive strategies are needed.
Further, the department has asked the district administration to step up risk communication by providing public health advice through channels that target the audience on how the disease transmits, its symptoms, and preventive measures.
