Delhi's monkeypox patient doing fine, says report; L-G urges not to panic

With Delhi reporting its first monkeypox case, Lt Governor V K Saxena on Monday instructed officials to ensure that all preventive measures are in place to tackle the disease and urged people to not panic.

The 34-year-old man, who tested positive for monkeypox, is fine and has no fever, sources said, adding that he has lesions that will take at least a week to completely heal. Till then, he will remain in the isolation ward set up by the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital here, they said.

Fourteen contacts of the patient have been traced and none of them have shown any symptoms. Of the 14 contacts, four are his family members, who are in isolation at their west Delhi residence, they said.

They have been asked to self-monitor their symptoms and the district surveillance teams are in touch with them, sources said.

In a related development, the Delhi government directed all district magistrates and hospital authorities to follow the guidelines released by the Centre for management of suspected and confirmed monkeypox cases.

"...it is mandatory for all health facilities to notify any suspect case of Monkeypox to the concerned District Surveillance Unit. A ward at Lok Nayak hospital is reserved for Isolation of suspected/confirmed cases of Monkeypox, therefore any such case must be referred and isolated at Lok Nayak Hospital in coordination with District Surveillance Officers.

"All District Surveillance Units should ensure to enhance the health facility based surveillance for Monkeypox followed by required community based interventions, as per the guidelines," read the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Health Services, Delhi.

Saxena also reviewed the situation with senior government officials and urged people not to panic.

"Reviewed the Monkey Pox situation in Delhi along with CS, Secy Health, DGHS & others concerned. Was apprised of preparedness in terms of medical services, hospital infrastructure, tracing, testing, surveillance & clinical mgmt. Advised officials to ensure all preventive measures.

"I appeal to the people to not panic and follow all prescribed prevention and treatment protocols," he said in a series of tweets.

India has reported four cases of monkeypox so far - three from Kerala and one from Delhi - the latest being that of a 34-year-old man in the capital with no history of foreign travel testing positive for the disease.

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.

There are two distinct genetic clades of the monkeypox virus - the Central African (Congo Basin) clade and West African. The Congo Basin clade has historically caused more severe disease and is thought to be more transmissible.