By admin 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it an international emergency in view of the severity of the deadly empax disease that is spreading in several countries in Africa, including the Congo.
The announcement was made on August 14 by Who Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in line with the recommendations of the Expert Committee on International Health Regulations (IHR), which reviewed data submitted by empax-affected countries.
How many people have died so far?
So far this year, 15,664 people in the Democratic Republic of congo have been infected with the disease and 548 people have died. The disease has spread to other African countries, including Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya and Rwanda.
The first case of monkeypox was reported in Sweden outside Africa on August 15, a day after the WHO declared an international state of emergency. It has been identified as the dangerous clade IB variant.
Pakistan has also reported three cases so far. Health officials in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said the three had come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
What about India?
While cases of monkeypox have been reported in India in the past, not a single case has been reported so far. Earlier, when monkeypox was prevalent across the globe, a few cases were reported in India as well.
In a statement in Parliament on July 28 last year, the then Minister of State for Health SP Singh Baghel had said that as on July 24, 2023, 27 cases of monkeypox had been reported in the country. Of these, 12 cases were detected in Kerala and 15 in Delhi.
Is there a possibility of monkeypox cases being reported again in India this time?
When contacted by the BBC, Senior Consultant Physician Dr Sivaraju said, “In the wake of the rise in cases of monkeypox across the globe and the who has declared an international health emergency, there is a possibility of cases being reported in India as well. Therefore, the government should be vigilant and focus on raising awareness among people about the symptoms of the disease and preventive measures,” he said.
“At airports, it is very important to record the travel history of incoming passengers. In particular, the details of those who have come from countries where the disease is spreading should be taken. The airport health authorities should test the passengers for symptoms like fever and rashes,” he said.
However, the CSRMO of Fever Hospital in Hyderabad said they have not received any instructions or instructions from the government in this regard so far.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox virus is an orthopox virus. This causes empax (monkeypox). It also has smallpox-like properties. However, its intensity is low. Although smallpox was eradicated worldwide in the 1980s, monkeypox disease continues to be found in Central and West Africa.
Monkeypox was first identified in monkeys in 1958. Later in 1970, it appeared in humans in the Democratic Republic of congo.
Since May 2022, cases of monkeypox have started being reported outside the African region. Two different clades have been identified in monkeypox virus. They are- Clade I, Clade II.
Although there are some similarities with smallpox, monkeypox is less contagious than that. Its intensity is low. However, many health issues can arise due to it.