Odisha Equipped & Prepared To Handle MPox Cases, Assures Health Director

Bhubaneswar: A day after India reported the first suspect case of Monkeypox in the country, Odisha’s Health department on Monday informed that the state is well prepared and equipped to handle an eventuality.

Director, Health Services, Dr Bijay Mohapatra said, “There is nothing to panic. The suspect case has been isolated and being medically examined. Alert has been sounded at international entry points (airports and roadways) and passenger monitoring heightened.”

Dr Mohapatra added that the centre has clarified this was the lone case in the country and the patient will remain under isolation till incubation period.

The incubation period for the monkeypox virus is typically 7 to 10 days after exposure, but can range from 3 to 21 days. During the incubation period, a person is not contagious and may feel fine, said sources.

Symptoms of the disease range from fever and headaches to muscles pain and painful boils. According to doctors the mpox viral infection causes a rash that can appear as bumps, blisters, or red spots on the body.

“The rash can be painful and may appear anywhere on the body, including the face, genitals, mouth, throat, hands, feet, chest, or anus. The rash can go through different stages,” a Bhubaneswar-based doctor said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 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.

It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks, the sources added.