Monkeypox Outbreak: Dos and Don’ts to Avoid Contracting the Viral Disease

As the world grapples with yet another international public health emergency and monkeypox cases increase in India, the Union Health Ministry has issued a set of guidelines outlining what people should and should not do to avoid contracting the disease.

This comes a day after the UAE’s health ministry written to the WHO representative to ensure that passengers with symptoms suggestive of monkeypox disease are not allowed to board flights in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission.

Referring to three cases in which the passengers had come to India from the UAE, Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal in a letter to Executive Director and IHR Focal Point, United Arab Emirates, Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Ali Rand said they were already exhibiting symptoms suggestive of monkeypox disease before arrival in India.

India has reported eight cases of monkeypox, which includes one death, so far. The Centre has also constituted a task force on monkeypox to closely monitor the emerging situation in the country and decide on response initiatives to tackle the spread of the disease.

List of Dos and Don’ts to Avoid Contracting Monkeypox

Dos

1. Isolate infected patients from others
2. Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitisers
3. When near infected individuals, wear masks and disposable gloves
4. Use disinfectants for environmental sanitation

Don’ts

1. Don’t share linen, bedding or towels with people who have contracted monkeypox
2. Don’t wash soiled linen or laundry of infected persons with those of non-infected individuals
3. Don’t attend public events if you exhibit symptoms of monkeypox
4. Don’t stigmatize groups of people based on misinformation

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complications.

The extent to which asymptomaticinfection occurs is unknown.

Monkeypox typically manifests itself with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.

It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting for two to four weeks.

The‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’issued by the Centre, stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact.

It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesions, and indirect contact with lesion material such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person.

Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals or through bush meat preparation.

• Who can get monkeypox?

Anyone can have monkeypox if they have had prolonged or repeated contact with an infected individual.