Samples of 5-year-old UP girl sent for monkeypox testing

The first suspected case of monkeypox has now emerged in India. On Saturday, a 5-year-old girl's sample was collected for monkeypox testing, according to the chief medical officer (CMO) of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. 

The CMO added the sample collection is a precautionary measure, as the 5-year-old girl had complained of itching and rashes on her body, reported news agency ANI. 

"She has no other health issues & neither she nor any of her close contact travelled abroad in the past 1 month" he was quoted by ANI.

Government sources told the agency that the sample of a suspected monkeypox case in Ghaziabad has been sent for testing, but it's unnecessary panic mongering. "No monkeypox case has been reported in India so far," government sources told ANI.

The sample has been sent to NIV Pune. A private hospital in Ghaziabad has referred the sample of the child to NIV Pune to check for the monkeypox virus. The child or the family does not have any international travel history.
 
Monkeypox symptoms

Monkeypox is a virus that causes fever symptoms as well as a distinctive bumpy rash. It is usually mild.

A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash changes and goes through different stages, and can look like chickenpox or syphilis, before finally forming a scab, which later falls off.

More than 550 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported by about 30 countries since early May. The majority were in Europe and not linked to travel to Africa, where the virus is endemic.

(With Inputs from Milan Sharma)

Also read: Govt issues guidelines on monkeypox prevention; check details here