Products derived from wild animals from Africa (creams, lotions, powders) should be avoided, said the Health Ministry on Tuesday as part of its guidelines for management of monkeypox diseases, “Advisory for International passengers’.‘
Listing the other avoids to be followed, the Ministry said that travelers should refrain from close contacts with sick people, including those with skin lesions or genital lesions, contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes) and also eating or preparing meat from wild game (bushmeat).
International travelers should avoid contact with contaminated materials used by sick people (such as clothing, bedding, or materials used in healthcare settings) or that came into contact with infected animals.
They are advised to consult the nearest health facility if they develop symptoms suggestive of monkeypox like fever with rash, if they have been in an area where monkeypox has been reported or have been in contact with a person who might have had the pox.
Specifying the role of airports and ports, the Ministry said that they had to be in a state of alert, particularly for passengers arriving from countries reporting monkeypox outbreaks. Staff must familiarise themselves with clinical presentation of monkeypox, undertake strict thermal screening and scrutinise history of travel to affected countries in last 21 days, it said.
Country entry points have been asked to establish/strengthen referral arrangements from airport/port to identified link hospital and also familiarise Bureau of Immigration personnel, airline personnel and any State health personnel deployed with them about the disease. “Inform concerned airlines about detection of a suspect case for the purpose of disinfection procedure to be followed as per standard guidelines,’’ said the Ministry.
Meanwhile, about the duration of isolation procedure, the Ministry has said that affected individuals should avoid close contact with immunocompromised persons and pregnant women until all crusts are gone. Isolation precautions should be continued until all lesions have resolved and a fresh layer of skin has formed.
