Centre forms task force to monitor Monkeypox situation in country

Tags: National News

The Central Government has constituted a task force to monitor and provide guidance on expansion of diagnostic facilities in the wake of monkeypox cases in India and to explore the possibility of vaccination for it in the country.

Important facts

• The decision was taken during a meeting on 1 August which was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Additional Secretary (PMO) and other senior officials.

• The team will be headed by Dr V K Paul, who is the member (Health) of NITI Aayog. 

• So far, four cases of monkeypox have been reported in India, three in Kerala and one in Delhi.

• A young man with monkeypox-like symptoms died in Kerala last week, prompting state Health Minister Veena George to launch a high-level investigation.

• Aa per the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from 78 countries.

• According to the WHO, monkeypox is a viral zoonosis – a virus that spreads from animals to humans.

• The symptoms of Monkeypox usually present with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and can lead to a variety of medical complications.

Kindly also see the post dated 15th and 25th July 2022.