kolkata: In the wake of a monkeypox alert from the Centre, the state health department is set to impart training among doctors and it will hold a series of sensitization workshops among the health workers from various civic bodies.

Senior Health department officials are expected to hold a meeting with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials at Swasthya Bhawan on Wednesday to chalk out plans as to how to tackle if there is any such case reported in the state.

Doctors from various boroughs of KMC will join the meeting. Health department along with various civic bodies will conduct awareness campaigns using microphones. Posters and banners will also be put at strategic locations under the civic bodies. No cases have so far been reported in the state but the health department and civic bodies are taking various precautionary measures.

Health department along with KMC and other civic bodies will prepare a blueprint in this regard. Health department has already urged the Calcutta airport authorities to strengthen surveillance and if anybody is found with suspected symptoms at the airport.

If any suspected patient is reported, he/she must be sent to the Beliaghata ID Hospital. Necessary arrangements have been made at Beliaghata ID Hospital to handle such patients.

The airport authorities will also have to share the details of a flyer if he/she is found to have suffered from fever, headache, and rashes in the body. Contract tracing would be done if any case is reported. Health department issued instructions saying that in case a suspected patient is detected; his/her skin lesions, vesicular fluid and pustules, and dry crust may be sent immediately to the Institute of Virology in Pune.

A senior health official however assured that there is hardly any possibility for monkeypox virus to get transmitted on a large scale like that of Covid. As it is a DNA virus, the possibility of getting infected is much lesser unless one mixes with the patient closely. The state health department has already alerted all the Chief Medical Officers of health in the districts.