Monkeypox: Three Delhi govt hospitals directed to set up isolation rooms

The Delhi government has instructed three of its hospitals to establish isolation rooms for managing suspected and confirmed Mpox cases, officials said on Tuesday. Despite these preparations, there have been no cases detected in the city so far.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to its widespread prevalence across Africa.

“Three Delhi government hospitals—LNJP, GTB, and Baba Saheb Ambedkar—have been directed to create isolation rooms for suspected and confirmed cases of the disease. LNJP is designated as the nodal facility, with the other two hospitals on standby,” a senior health department official said.

Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital will allocate 20 isolation rooms for patients, including 10 specifically for confirmed cases. Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital and Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital will each set up 10 rooms, with five reserved for suspected cases.

The official said that there is no need for panic and assured that the government is well-prepared. “There are no cases at present. We are fully alert and closely monitoring the situation,” he added.

According to an earlier statement from WHO, there have been 99,176 Mpox cases and 208 deaths reported globally from 116 countries since 2022. Mpox cases continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since 2022, India has reported thirty Mpox cases, with the most recent one detected in March 2024.

“We convened a meeting with all Medical Directors and Superintendents, where we discussed the current situation and shared the Standard Operating Procedures from the Government of India,” a health department official said.

“The Secretary of Health also held a detailed meeting with the Medical Directors of Delhi government hospitals to address the monkeypox issue. The latest guidelines from the Government of India and WHO were shared. LNJP has been designated as the nodal hospital, and necessary arrangements, including isolation wards, will be set up in three hospitals,” he added.

WHO declared Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024.

In response, the Delhi government directed all state-run hospitals to establish isolation wards for managing both suspected and confirmed cases, although no cases have been reported in India so far, according to an official order.

The isolation protocols require patients to be placed in separate rooms with individual ventilation systems, wear triple-layer masks, and ensure that skin lesions are covered to minimise contact with others.

Also Read: Monkeypox: AIIMS Delhi issues treatment guidelines, sets aside five beds for isolation

Isolation should continue until all lesions have resolved and scabs have completely fallen off, as per the order.

Monkeypox spreads primarily through large respiratory droplets, usually requiring prolonged close contact. It can also be transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids or lesion material, as well as through indirect contact via contaminated clothing or linens.

Health authorities have urged vigilance, particularly among individuals who have travelled to affected countries within the last 21 days, according to the order.

A suspected case of Monkeypox includes anyone with an unexplained acute rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, body aches, or profound weakness who has recently travelled to affected areas.

The health advisory further explains that a probable case involves someone who meets the suspected case definition and has a clinically compatible illness with an epidemiological link, such as face-to-face exposure, direct physical contact with skin or lesions, or contact with contaminated materials like clothing or bedding.

A confirmed case is verified through laboratory testing, specifically by detecting the unique sequence of the Monkeypox virus DNA via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or sequencing.

Last year, reported Mpox cases worldwide increased significantly. This year, the number of cases has already exceeded last year’s total, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths reported so far.  (With inputs from PTI)