Ghaziabad’s girl with suspected monkeypox infection tests negative
New Delhi [India], June 7: A five-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, who was suspected to have Monkeypox infection, has tested negative.
The sample was sent for testing to ICMR - NIV Pune – sources stated.
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The sample of the girl was sent for testing for Monkeypox after she complained of itching and rashes on her body.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Officer of Ghaziabad said that the test is just a "precautionary measure" as the girl has no other health issues, nor does she have close contact with anyone who has travelled abroad in the past month.
In view of the increasing reports of Monkeypox (MPX) cases in non-endemic countries, Union Health Ministry acted proactively and issued 'Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease' to ensure advance preparedness across the country.
As per the guidelines, a confirmed case is laboratory confirmed for monkeypox virus by detection of unique sequences of viral DNA either by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or sequencing.
The Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease include the epidemiology of the disease (including host, incubation period, period of communicability and mode of transmission; contact and case definitions; clinical features and its complication, diagnosis, case management, risk communication, guidance on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) including use of personal protective equipment.
"The guidelines stress surveillance and rapid identification of new cases as the key public health measures for outbreak containment, mandating the need to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission. It explains the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, IPC at home, patient isolation and ambulance transfer strategies, additional precautions that need to be taken care of and duration of isolation procedures," the statement reads.
Raising awareness of risk factors, the guidelines further explain in detail about raising awareness and educating people about the measures for Monkeypox virus-like avoiding contact with any material of the sick person, isolation of the infected patient from others, practising good hand hygiene and using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients.
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Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare continues to maintain a close watch over the evolving situation.
-PTC News
