1st Monkeypox Case in Delhi: Govt Notifies Hospitals to Report Suspected Cases, Issues Guidelines

The Delhi Congress has also urged the city government to take additional measures and trace the source of the infection.

New Delhi: With a resident of the national capital testing positive for monkeypox disease on Sunday, the Delhi government has issued a notice mandating all health facilities to notify any suspect case of the virus to the concerned District Surveillance Unit. The person, suspected of the infection, must be referred and isolated at the reserved ward of Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital (LNJP, New Delhi) in coordination with District Surveillance Officers, the city government said in an official order.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Congress has urged the city government to take additional measures and trace the source of the infection. “First confirmed case of monkeypox emerging in Delhi is something to be worried about. The Delhi government should take extra precautions so as not to repeat the COVID-19 pandemic bungle, when thousands of people lost their lives due to shortage of medicines, medical oxygen and hospital beds,” Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said.

He said since the patient has no travel history, the source of the infection should be traced. “It is important to trace the source of the infection and check if anybody else has been infected,” Kumar said. “The COVID-19 pandemic is very much active in Delhi, and the national capital being without a full-fledged health minister is a matter of grave concern,” he said.

About Delhi’s first monkeypox case

A 34-year-old man from Delhi with no history of foreign travel has tested positive for monkeypox, taking India’s tally of cases of the disease to four and prompting the Centre to hold a high-level review meeting, the government said on Sunday. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said an isolation ward for such patients has been set up at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital and that there is no need to panic.

(With inputs from PTI)