Monkeypox outbreak: ICMR says children more at risk, urges people to watch out for these symptoms - Details here

New Delhi: With spike in monkeypox cases around the world, the government’s medical body, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on Friday (May 27, 2022) informed that children are more at risk of getting infecting with the monkeypox virus. Many countries have reported an unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox, however, an ICMR scientist said no cases have been reported in India so far, adding that the country is prepared in view of increasing infections in the non-endemic countries. 

In an interview with news agency ANI, Dr Aparna Mukherjee, ICMR scientist said, “Kids are more susceptible to the monkeypox infection. The elderly people would be vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine. After the 1980s, people who did not get the smallpox vaccine that gives cross-immunity to fight against the infection, so the younger people will be more susceptible.”

She also said that people should not get panic and avoid close contact who test positive for monkeypox. "People should not get panic about this disease, its symptoms as it usually spreads by very close contact. There are set guidelines for it which have already been published from ICMR- NIV," the ICMR official stated.

The ICMR scientist further listed unusual symptoms which people should keep a close watch on, especially those who have a travel history from the monkeypox-infected countries.

5 unusual Monkeypox symptoms: 

• Body ache
• Rashes
• High fever
• A lot of lymphadenopathies
• Large lymph nodes

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation official said that countries should take the right measures to contain Monkeypox cases easily and also share data about their vaccine stockpiles. "We don`t know the extent of the disease. But as I said, we as a country should be more vigilant, so that we detect more cases. We think that if we put in place the right measure now, we probably can contain this easily. So that`s why, we are making this briefing today and we are trying to raise the awareness because we are at the very, very beginning and it`s we have a good window of opportunity to stop the transmission now," said Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness.

On the risk to the community spread, she said, "We are afraid that it will be spread in the community but currently it is very hard to assess this risk."

"We have a number of cases in many countries more than 20 in a few days and we have also many unknowns about this disease because we don`t know if this unusual situation is due to a virus change. It doesn`t seem so because of first sequencing of the virus shows that the strain is not different from the strain we can find in endemic countries and it`s probably more due to a change in human behaviour. But we are also investigating this and trying to understand the origin of this sudden outbreak of monkeypox in non-endemic countries," said Sylvie Briand on the spread of monkeypox in non-endemic countries.

(With agency inputs)