In the wake of two confirmed cases of Monkeypox in India, as reported from Kerala, the state government on Wednesday issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for isolation, sample collection, and treatment of those infected or showing signs of the same.
State Health Minister Veena George shared the details of the SOPs which must be followed by all private and government hospitals.
In an official release, the minister said that any person who has traveled in the past 21 days to a country where monkeypox has been reported and has noticed red spots on the body along with one or more of the other symptoms, such as fever, headache, body ache or fever, should assume they have been infected by the virus.
The SOPs further require that suspected and probable cases of monkeypox be treated separately and in isolation, and the District Surveillance Officer (DSO) should be informed immediately.
The minister also said that referrals from private hospitals to government facilities should be at the patient's request and only critically ill patients from state-run hospitals with isolation facilities should be referred to medical colleges.
The health professionals have been directed to wear PPE kit, N95 masks, gloves and goggles while transferring patients from one hospital to another, and patients have been asked to wear N95 or triple-layered masks and to cover any wounds in the ambulances. The equipment should also be disinfected.
The SOPs also suggest managing the confirmed cases of monekypox according to federal government guidelines, and in case of any doubt the hospital should contact the state medical board.
Want to know more? Check out our Koo & Telegram accounts!
Sputnik India: https://t.me/sputniknewsindia