Since 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared several diseases as global health emergencies. They included Zika, Ebola, Polio, Swine Flu, and Covid-19. The latest to be given the same designation is monkeypox outbreak.
The WHO label— a “public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)”—is designed to trigger a coordinated international response and could unlock funding to collaborate on sharing vaccines and treatments.
As per the WHO, Monkeypox is not a new disease. It was first discovered in a monkey in 1958 and hence the name. However, the first infection in a human was discovered in 1970 in a small child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since that time, increasing numbers of cases have been recognized. And in particular, over the last 5 to 10 years. What’s different now, WHO says, is that cases in other countries are seen that normally don’t have monkeypox. And this is very unusual. There had been the occasional outbreak or a single case detected in a traveler from West Africa. But in fact, there never had been an outbreak like this before. Most people don’t have a severe case of monkeypox and can be managed conservatively with regular care where it’s necessary, WHO underlines. It may be possible to access the new treatments for a very select few patients who may need them. The important strategy to contain monkeybox is educating people on the disease and finding cases to reduce the likelihood of transmission.
Arresting the disease early is important and as such there is need for increasing testing, contact tracing and creating awareness to prevent spread.
Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, during a meeting convened to review measures for containment of Monkeypox in Jammu and Kashmir, correctly stressed on “proactive and pre-emptive” response against the diseased which has lately started to spread rapidly. Already four cases have been confirmed in India and there are already calls for need to be alert by the centre.
Dr Mehta appropriately called for the need to avoid any unnecessary scare among people and underlined the need for transparent, timely and accurate information dissemination and dispelling half truths and rumors. He said all schools and colleges need to sensitize students about the common symptoms of monkeypox. It is the correct step. Apart from awareness, there is need to ensure all infection control practices are followed in letter and spirit. While there is no confirmed case of the monkeypox reported in J&K, people must be reminded that in the inter-connected and globalized world, no region is safe unless the virus is contained.
