Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Dr. PK Mishra chaired a high-level meeting yesterday to review the status of preparedness for Mpox in the country and related public health measures.

He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been continuously monitoring the MPox situation.

During the meeting, Dr Mishra directed states to enhance surveillance and take effective measures for prompt detection of cases. He further directed that the testing laboratories network should be geared up for early diagnosis. Presently 32 labs are equipped for testing.

Dr Mishra said that the protocols for prevention and treatment of the disease should be disseminated on a large scale. He further emphasised an awareness campaign amongst the healthcare providers regarding the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need for timely notification to the surveillance system.

During the meeting, it was briefed that as of now, there is no reported case of Mpox in the country. As per the present assessment, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low. The Mpox infections are generally self-limiting lasting between 2 to 4 weeks and the Mpox patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management. The Mpox transmission happens through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient.

It was also informed that a Video Conference was convened by the Director General Health Services earlier yesterday with more than 200 participants. The health authorities at state level including the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme units in the States and at the Ports of Entry were sensitized in this regard.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has again declared Mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 14th August in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa. According to WHO, globally since 2022 from 116 countries, more than 99 thousand cases and 208 deaths had been reported due to Mpox.