Monkeypox in India

Monkeypox India: Relevance

• GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Monkeypox Kerala: Context

• Recently, the first case of Monkeypox was confirmed in Kerala, when he developed symptoms of the disease after arriving from abroad.

Monkeypox severity: Key points

• He had returned from the United Arab Emirates three days ago and had come into contact with another confirmed case in the UAE.
• The person’s samples were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which confirmed monkey pox.

What is monkeypox?

• Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity.
• The infection was first discovered in 1958 following two outbreaks of a pox-like disease in colonies of monkeys kept for research, thus leading to the name ‘monkeypox’.

Monkeypox symptoms

• According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, back ache, and exhaustion.
• The infection can also cause the lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy), which smallpox does not.
• The WHO had advised not to confuse monkeypox with chickenpox, measles, bacterial skin infections, scabies, syphilis and medication-associated allergies.
• Monkeypox is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks
• The period of communicability is 1-2 days before the rash until all the scabs fall off/get subsided.

Monkeypox Effects

• Skin eruptions show up within two days of fever.
• The rash is more concentrated on the face as is apparent in 95 per cent cases.
• In 75 per cent cases, it is found in the palm and sole of the feet.
• It affects the oral mucous membrane in 70 per cent of the cases.
• The conjunctiva, cornea of the eye and the genital area can also get affected.
• Patients should isolate and watch out for pain in eye or blurring of vision, shortness of breath, and decrease in urine output.

Monkeypox treatment

• So far, there is no proven treatment for monkeypox.
• The WHO recommends supportive treatment depending on the symptoms, and those infected are advised to isolate immediately.
• According to the doctors, monkeypox is a very well-understood condition that can be managed efficiently with available clinical remedies.

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