In the wake of rising of monkeypox cases in India, the Odisha government has made SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack the nodal centre for management of the rare viral infection, on Thursday.
With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the global monkeypox outbreak a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ (PHEIC) which is one step below that of a ‘pandemic’, the Odisha government has sounded an alert to health officials to deal with the possible monkeypox cases.
A team comprising of doctors from various departments such as medicine, gynaecology, microbiology, dermatology and pediatric has been formed by the hospital administration.
Currently, the premier health institute is prepared with a separate isolation ward and four ICU beds for the virus.
“There are no reports of monkeypox cases in Odisha so far. As there are no restrictions on international travel, the chances of the virus intruding the state cannot be ruled out,” Dr Jayant Panda, Head of Medicine Department said.
The Medicine Department head added, “Few cases in Kerala and Delhi has been reported and the infected person from the national capital did not have any foreign contact travel or travel history.”
Earlier the Union Health Ministry on Monday reviewed the steps for health screening of international travellers arriving in India at airports and ports after few cases of Monkeypox were reported in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
Monkeypox typically presents with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.
It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks.