Due to the possibility of spreading monkeypox disease after the corona virus, the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory asking people to be vigilant. In an advisory issued on Tuesday, the ministry has specifically asked international travelers to refrain from eating or cooking the meat of African wild animals, or using products such as creams, lotions and powders made from African wild animals.
Apart from this, the ministry has also advised to avoid close contact with sick people who have wounds on the skin or sores in the genitals. The advisory for international travelers has also been included in the ‘Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease’ issued to the States and Union Territories.
It has been suggested that these travelers should avoid close proximity to small mammals including dead or live rats, squirrels and monkeys. It has advised to stay away from clothes used by sick people, bedding or materials used in health institutions or people who have come in contact with infected animals. The advisory said that they should be cautious, especially those coming from countries where there have been cases of monkeypox.
The ministry said that the travel details of people who have traveled in the last 21 days in the affected countries should be checked. Also, the system of sending them from airports and seaports to identified hospitals should be strengthened immediately. This will help reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is similar to smallpox. However, it is usually not a serious disease. It is an orthopoxvirus, a genus of viruses, including the variola virus, which causes smallpox. The vaccinia virus of the same family was used in the smallpox vaccine. Commonly found in remote parts of Central and West Africa, the virus was first detected in monkeys in 1958. This case was first reported in humans in 1970.