Monkeypox: Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan asks for strict testing, quarantine protocol at Mumbai airport  

Monkeypox: Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan said Mumbai airport needs to strictly screen passengers who come from high-risk countries. The virus has now reached Pakistan. 

Chavan wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde urging the state government to take proactive steps to prevent the spread in India. "It has reached our neighbourhood. We have to act. I have written to the CM to implement a strict testing and quarantine protocol at the Mumbai airport for all the incoming passengers from high-risk countries," he said on X.

He also urged the government to take necessary action and to prevent any delays as it could lead to severe consequences. 

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday confirmed that there are no reported cases of monkeypox in India. However, cautionary measures will be implemented to prevent and control the spread of the disease. While the possibility of a few imported cases in the coming weeks cannot be ruled out, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is currently low for India. 

In a meeting chaired by Union Health Minister J P Nadda, it was noted that monkeypox infections are usually self-limiting, lasting between 2-4 weeks, and patients generally recover with supportive management. Transmission requires prolonged close contact with an infected person and is generally through the sexual route, direct contact with body or lesion fluids, or contaminated clothing or linen of an infected person. 

The WHO had declared Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in July 2022 but revoked this status in May 2023. Globally, since 2022, the WHO has reported 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to Monkeypox from 116 countries. Since the 2022 declaration by WHO, a total of 30 cases were detected in India, with the last case reported in March 2024.       

Monkeypox symptoms include rashes on hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, or genital areas which progresses to pustules and scabs before healing. Fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes are some of the other symptoms. Symptoms typically start within 21 days of exposure to the virus.