Experts call for more awareness on monkeypox

NEW DELHI: Centre on Thursday held a meeting of top health experts to discuss the new evolving situation with regard to monkeypox and the need for revisiting existing guidelines on the management of the virus that has so far infected nine persons including one death. While the state governments have been asked to up vigil against monkeypox, the health experts feel there is need to increase surveillance and awareness to prevent its larger outbreak.

The meeting was chaired by Dr L. Swasticharan, director of Emergency Medical Relief and attended by officials from the National Aids Control Organisation, National Centre for Disease Control and World Health Organisation (WHO) representatives. “It was a technical meeting to revisit the existing guidelines,” said an official. Several states have asked health department officials to regularly monitor high risk groups and conduct test sampling and contact tracing immediately if any suspected case is found. Besides, the states are also holding workshops on monkeypox disease, giving training to its personnel on sample collection process.