Kerala issues SOP for treatment, isolation of monkeypox cases
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): In the wake of two confirmed cases of monkeypox in the country being reported from Kerala, the state government on Wednesday issued standard operating procedures (SOP) for isolation, sample collection and treatment of those infected or showing signs of the same.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George, in a release, gave details of the SOP which are to be followed by all private and government hospitals.
She said that any person who has travelled in the last 21 days to a country where monkeypox has been reported and is having red spots on the body along with one or more of the other symptoms, like fever, headache, body ache or fever, should suspect infection by the virus.
The minister, in the release, further said that risk of infection is high through close physical or direct skin-to-skin contact or sexual intercourse with an infected person or by touching their bedding or clothing.
Anyone falling in these categories would come in the primary contact list, she and added that infection is confirmed through a PCR test.
According to the Health department's SOP, as mentioned in the release, suspected and probable cases of monkeypox are to be treated separately and in isolation and the District Surveillance Officer (DSO) should be informed immediately.
Samples should be collected as per the protocols laid down for the same by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and the DSO would be responsible for sending the same to the lab, it said.
Referrals from private hospitals to government facilities should be on patient request and only critically ill patients from state-run hospitals with isolation facilities should be referred to medical colleges, the SOPs further said.
While transporting infected persons from to a hospital or from one medical institution to another, PPE kit, N95 masks, gloves and goggles should be worn by the health professionals and the patients too should wear an N95 or triple layered mask and any wounds on their bodies should be covered, it said.
After patient delivery, the ambulance and equipment therein should be disinfected and patient's items like clothing, should be disposed of according to the guidelines, the Health department release said.
Confirmed cases of monkeypox should be managed as per the Centre's guidelines exactly and in case of any doubt regarding treatment, the state medical board should be consulted, it added.
As all international airports in the state have thermal scanners, the release said that anyone showing signs of fever would be examined for red spots by a medical team and if such signs are found, they will be transferred to the nearest hospital with isolation facilities and the DSO would be informed about the same.
Health workers have been directed to monitor those in the primary contact list for 21 days for any symptoms by calling them over the phone and recording their temperature twice a day, it said and added that the health worker or nurse in charge of monitoring should visit the house of the contacts periodically to ensure they follow the guidelines.
In case the primary contact person has fever, they should be immediately isolated and if red spots appear, their samples should be sent for monkeypox testing, the release said.
Those in the contact list who are not showing symptoms should not donate blood, cells, tissue, organs, or semen, it added.
The Kerala government on Tuesday had started testing for monkeypox infection at the Alappuzha NIV with testing kits brought from Pune NIV.
India had on Monday reported a second confirmed case of monkeypox from Kerala's Kannur district.
It was a patient, who arrived in Kerala on July 13, was a native of Kannur in north Kerala and was undergoing treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College there.
The first case of monkeypox, a rare but potentially serious viral illness, was reported from Kollam district of south Kerala on July 14. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
Both their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, and they tested positive for the virus.
The minister also said that all those who were in close contact with the patient are being closely monitored.
According to the World Health Organisation, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals), with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.
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Cong MLA Raju Kage kicks up row over 'PM Modi's successor' remarks, BJP slams him
Bengaluru, May 2: Karnataka Congress MLA Raju Kage's remarks regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successor have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition BJP in the state.
Addressing a campaign meeting in Mamadapur village in Belagavi district, Kage said, "I too have the confidence about running the country ably. If Modi dies, will no one become the prime minister of the country? Is there no other person to become prime minister among the 140 crore population? Youngsters these days say only Modi, Modi..."
Everyone wants Congress leaders like -- Laxman Savadi, Raju Kage, Satish Jarkiholi (all Congress MLAs) locally -- but want Modi at the Centre, the Kagwad MLA said on Tuesday. "There is no question of Modi. Will Modi come here to listen to your issues or us?"
Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra sharply reacting to Kage's remarks, asked, "Why does Congress desire Narendra Modi ji's death?"
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In a post on 'X' on Thursday, he said, "Congress MLA Raju Kage has only outspoken the destructive mindset of Rahul Gandhi and Congress, who have a history of grabbing power based on the deaths of many innocent lives, like vultures ready to pounce on the deaths of precious lives."
Vijayendra questioned Congress whether it desires Modi's death because he abrogated Article 370 and "saved" Kashmir, because he fulfilled the dream of hundreds of years by building Ram Mandir in the birthplace of Shri Ram, because he eradicated the terrorism and saved the nation from terrorists, because he built a strong nation economically, ranking India 5th globally, among others.
"The BJP, not based on individuals but on principles and ideologies, has grown into a massive political tree, based on the nationalistic ideals and nurtured by the hard work of our Patriotic Karyakarthas....Modi has strengthened the nation and established himself as a great leader and a competent administrator.
"People of this country have resolved to make him the PM again and want his continued leadership for Bharath," he said.
What else can be expected from Congress, who is unable to tolerate this and out of sheer desperation, is resorting to foreboding of ill and wishing bad for the PM, the BJP chief further said, adding, vicious minds can only speak vile and Congress MLA Raju Khage with this mindset has only spoken Congress ideology ill-boding about the PM.
Congress MLA Raju Kage has only outspoken the destructive mindset of @RahulGandhi & @INCIndia ,who have an history of grabbing power based on the deaths of many innocent lives, like vultures ready to pounce on the deaths of precious lives.
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (Modi Ka Parivar) (@BYVijayendra) May 2, 2024
Why does Congress desire Shri… pic.twitter.com/aVL0QzJrMq
