Explained | How is Kerala fighting against monkeypox?

What are the various steps being taken by the State Health department to stop transmission? How does it help other States?

The story so far: On July 14, Kerala detected the first case of monkeypox in the country in a 35-year-old, who had flown into Thiruvananthapuram from the UAE. Four days later, the authorities confirmed a second case, this time at Kannur again in a passenger from the UAE. While both patients are in isolation and treatment, the State Health department has strengthened surveillance and control measures across all districts.

As a State with four international airports, a sizeable expatriate population and being a globally favoured travel destination, the probability of any newly emerging pathogen first arriving at the shores of Kerala has always been high. The State Health authorities are, therefore, relieved that the health system managed to pick up the first two cases of monkeypox, an affirmation of the robustness and efficiency of the State’s disease surveillance mechanism.

In Thiruvananthapuram as well as Kannur, the patients themselves had approached the doctors/authorities, raising the suspicion that they might have contracted monkeypox. Doctors point to the increased public awareness, the high level of clinical suspicion maintained by the medical fraternity about the new disease and the social commitment of the people that led to the detection of the monkeypox cases.

One of the first public health messages sent out by the Health department was that there was no need for the public to panic as monkeypox was not a disease which could spread through the air like COVID-19.

However, the public needed to be vigilant about maintaining all universal precautions that were put in place when COVID-19 was first reported.

As soon as the patient was isolated, close contacts were also isolated. A list of primary contacts for contact tracing was also drawn up. The contacts were put on symptom surveillance for 21 days and the respective districts were asked to monitor them closely.

Furthermore, monkeypox advisories were sent out to districts which resulted in the setting up of State and district-level monitoring cells. All districts were asked to set up isolation facilities in select hospitals and special ambulances to transport sick persons.