India ramps up Mpox surveillance at airports and land borders

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has issued an alert to all airports and land ports on the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan, urging heightened vigilance for international passengers displaying symptoms of Mpox, according to official sources on Sunday.

To bolster preparedness, the ministry has designated three central hospitals in the national capital—Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College—as nodal centres for the isolation, management, and treatment of Mpox cases. State governments have also been instructed to identify similar designated hospitals within their jurisdictions.

P K Mishra, the principal secretary to the prime minister, chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday to assess the nation’s readiness to handle Mpox cases amid increased surveillance efforts aimed at early detection.

As of now, there are no reported cases of Mpox in India. However, officials note that while the current risk of a large-scale outbreak with sustained transmission in the country is considered low, the situation requires close monitoring.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to its widespread prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa. “The virus strain this time is different—more virulent and infectious. However, based on current assessments, the likelihood of a major outbreak in India remains low,” an official source stated.

In response, the health ministry has directed authorities to enhance surveillance and implement effective measures for the swift detection of Mpox cases. The ministry has also emphasised the need to ensure that the network of testing laboratories is prepared for early diagnosis. Currently, 32 laboratories across the country are equipped for Mpox testing.

During the meeting, Mishra emphasised the importance of disseminating protocols for prevention and treatment widely and called for an awareness campaign among healthcare providers to recognize the signs and symptoms of Mpox and to ensure timely notification to the surveillance system.

Globally, the WHO reported that since 2022, there have been 99,176 Mpox cases and 208 deaths across 116 countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo has seen a steady increase in cases, with over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported this year alone.

In India, 30 Mpox cases have been reported since 2022, with the most recent case detected in March 2024.