Mpox Outbreak: Centre Urges States to Ramp Up Screening and Isolation Facilities

The Centre has advised states and union territories to conduct screening and testing of all suspected mpox cases in the community and establish isolation facilities in hospitals for both suspected and confirmed patients. In a letter sent on Monday, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra urged authorities to take preventive measures while ensuring there is no undue panic among the public.

"No new case of Mpox has been reported in India in the current outbreak, and none of the samples in suspected cases have tested positive," he said, while emphasising the need to stay alert.

He said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the evolving situation. He urged states and union territories to review their public health preparedness, particularly at the health facility level, identify isolation facilities in hospitals, and ensure the availability of necessary logistics and trained personnel at these facilities.

He also called for the orientation of all key stakeholders, with a focus on surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) at state and district levels. He urged them to re-orient on the definitions of suspect, probable, and confirmed cases, as well as contact tracing and other essential surveillance activities.