VIJAYAWADA: In wake of rise in mpox virus outbreak, the Health, Medical, and Family Welfare Department has taken proactive measures to face the threat, though no cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh so far.
The State’s first mpox isolation ward has come up in Vijayawada with a capacity of six beds. According to Vijayawada Government General Hospital (GGH) Superintendent Dr D Venkateswara Rao, the ward has been equipped with all necessary medical machinery and will be operational from Tuesday. He said the number of beds can be increased if required, as per the instructions from the Health Department authorities. “A team of doctors from General Medicine, Dermatology and Pulmonology, have been appointed to monitor to identify mpox cases,” he added.
Venkateswara Rao condemned the news on social media that a suspect case was reported at Vijayawada GGH and clarified that no case or suspected case was reported till now. Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr K Padmavati, emphasised that while no cases have been detected in Andhra Pradesh or neighbouring States. She said that the State is following the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines and directives of the Union Health Ministry, to prevent the spread of the mpox virus. “We are taking all necessary measures to prevent the spread of mpox even there is no such case reported in the State so far,” she told TNIE.
The officials are focusing on cities where international flights are likely to bring in travellers, with Tirupati and Visakhapatnam next in line for setting up more wards.
The Director of Medical Education (DME), DSVL Narasimham, explained, “We are fully prepared to face any situation.” The DME also clarified that mpox, unlike COVID-19, is not airborne and spreads through close human contact, reducing the likelihood of a widespread outbreak. He also addressed concerns about the similarities between monkeypox, smallpox, and chickenpox, noting that while smallpox has been eradicated and chickenpox still occurs sporadically, not all blisters that appear in chickenpox cases are indicative of mpox.
Only after virology tests at the laboratory in Pune confirm the presence of the virus can a case be officially declared as mpox.
He said the impact of mpox in India could be less severe compared to other countries.
