India Tightens Measures Amid Global Monkeypox Concerns: No Current Cases Reported

India steps up its precautionary measures against Monkeypox following WHO's global health emergency declaration. No cases have been reported in India, but the government is ensuring readiness across health units while monitoring the situation closely.

India has intensified its precautionary measures against Monkeypox after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). During a meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, officials reviewed the preparedness. Currently, there are no reported cases of Monkeypox in India.

The meeting concluded with decisions to sensitize health units at airports, seaports, and ground crossings. Moreover, 32 testing laboratories are being readied, and health facilities are preparing to detect, isolate, and manage potential cases. It was noted that Monkeypox infections tend to be self-limiting, lasting between 2-4 weeks, and typically require supportive management. The virus often requires prolonged close contact for transmission, occurring through sexual contact, direct contact with body or lesion fluids, or contaminated clothing/linen.

Since WHO's declaration in July 2022 and its revocation in May 2023, there have been 99,176 cases and 208 deaths globally across 116 countries. In India, 30 cases were reported with the last case in March 2024. A Joint Monitoring Group with experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and other key health institutions reviewed the situation, concluding the risk of a large outbreak remains low, although a few imported cases cannot be ruled out. The Ministry is closely monitoring the situation.