Indian authorities have stated that there is no need for panic and that they are prepared.“We will soon be issuing an advisory to all the states and UTs on the new strain of Mpox,” Dr. Atul Goel, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and Director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), told this paper. He said this strain is more virulent and infectious.“We had interacted with states earlier. This time we will update the guidelines on the new strain and provide information on its symptoms, diagnosis, and management,” he added.“We are fully prepared to deal with the Mpox virus. Testing facilities have been set up in 32 ICMR labs, and isolation wards have been established in three hospitals in Delhi,” he said. The Prime Minister’s Office and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda have held review meetings on the Mpox situation in India.In India, from 2022 to 2023, 30 cases were registered, of which 12 people were from foreign countries, and the rest were also from foreign countries but were living in India.Dr. Goel said that Mpox is self-limiting and typically does not require treatment. “There could be complications in some cases, and deaths have been reported. Within two to three weeks, it generally resolves. India has not reported any cases so far. The risk of a large spread in India is unlikely at this time,” he added.The ministry has already issued alerts to all points of entry for individuals who might report these cases.“We have also asked states to establish designated institutions for the isolation and management of such cases as needed,” he added.
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