Centre lists dos and don’ts to avoid contracting Monkeypox

CHENNAI: With Monkeypox cases slowing increasing in India, the Ministry of Health has listed dos and don’ts to avoid contracting the disease.

Who can get Monkeypox?

Anyone can get Monkeypox, if they have had prolonged or repeated contact with an infected individual.

Dos:

• Isolate infected persons from others

• Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizers

• When near infected individuals, wear masks and disposable gloves

• Use disinfectants for environmental sanitisation

Don’ts

• Don’t share linen, bedding and towel with people who were infected

• Don’t wash soiled linen or clothes of infected person with those who are not infected

• Don’t attend public events if you have symptoms

• Don’t stigmatise groups of people based on misinformation

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.

Globally, several thousands of cases of monkeypox have been reported from a large number of countries and death in many cases also being reported due to this viral zoonotic disease.

The ''Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease'' issued by the Centre says that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring prolonged close contact.

It can also be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or lesions, and indirect contact with lesion material such as through contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person. Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals or through bush meat preparation.