The Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Department has issued an advisory for Monkeypox (Mpox).
Citizens those who have travelled in the last 21 days from a country that has recently reported confirmed or suspected cases of Monkeypox, can immediately contact 14410 or 108 helpline, if they develop symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, or an unexplained rash.
As of August 18, Monkeypox cases have been reported from South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia and the UAE.
In India, the last reported case of Monkeypox was in Kerala in March 2024, involving a person with a history of international travel.
The department said with the recent declaration of Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14, preparedness and response measures have been reviewed and strengthened at the highest level.
It also urged the public not to panic and to stay informed about the situation.
Mpox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. It is a viral infection which can spread between people, mainly through close contact, and occasionally from the environment to people via things and surfaces that have been touched by a person with mpox.
