Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Photo : ANI

He advised people not to panic and said that an awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments to prevent the spread of the infection.

“There is no need to be afraid of monkeypox. An awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments: Public awareness is very necessary in the context of monkeypox. We have also formed a task force under the chairmanship of a member of Niti Aayog on behalf of the Government of India,” he added.

Earlier today, a fresh case of monkeypox was reported in Kerala as a UAE returnee tested positive today. This is the fifth case of the viral disease in the state and seventh in the country so far.

“When cases started appearing in the world, India had already started preparations. Before the first case in Kerala, we had issued guidelines to all the states. We sent an expert team, and helped the Kerala government. Contact tracing was done,” he said, ANI reported.

“On the basis of the observations of the task force, we will assess and study the further action to be taken. If the state government of Kerala needs any kind of help from the Central government, it will be given. Also, an expert team of the Central government is guiding the state government from time to time,” he said.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis – that gets transmitted to humans from animals – with symptoms similar to those seen in smallpox patients, albeit clinically less severe.

Last month, the Centre issued guidelines for monkeypox patients and their contacts, making 21-day isolation mandatory. The government also advised monkeypox patients and their contacts to wear masks, follow hand hygiene, keep lesions fully covered.

Monkeypox is endemic in regions like West and Central Africa but lately, non-endemic countries also reported the viral disease cases, according to the WHO.

Monkeypox manifests itself with fever, headache, rashes for up to three weeks, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, cough and could cause a range of medical complications.

The symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one to three days of the onset of fever, last for around two to four weeks, and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they turn itchy.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.