Centre Directs Actions Regarding Mpox Outbreak: Identifying Symptoms and Taking Necessary Steps

The center has directed a review of public health preparedness and requested states to identify hospitals to prepare isolation facilities for treating suspected and confirmed Mpox cases. The WHO classifies the Mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and assesses the risk of the disease spreading beyond Africa as moderate.

Most Mpox cases occur in young men aged 18-44, with sexual contact being the most commonly reported mode of transmission followed by person-to-person non-sexual contact. There have been no confirmed cases in India, but a man who recently returned from a country with confirmed cases is being isolated and tested.

His condition is reported as stable. Between January 2022 and August 2024, over 120 countries have reported Mpox cases, resulting in over 100,000 lab-confirmed cases and around 220 deaths.

Pakistan has reported five Mpox cases, according to Geo News. The WHO recommends a vaccine for prevention and post-exposure administration for those who have been in contact with an infected person.