Abstract

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease presenting with symptoms like smallpox, which was first identified in 1970 and continued to occur in Africa. With the global eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, which also provided protection against monkeypox, this has emerged as the most important orthopox virus infection in humans from the perspective of public health. Recently, since the beginning of the year 2022, cases of monkeypox have been reported from all six regions of the World Health Organization. As the outbreak continued to grow, the WHO declared the situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and issued temporary recommendations in relation to the outbreak. Newer vaccines have been developed of which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox. In India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines for management of cases as well as public health and prevention measures to contain the disease and end the outbreak. All healthcare facilities should focus on infection prevention and control measures. The community should be made aware regarding the disease, ways of prevention and home management of cases that do not require hospitalization.

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Data Sharing Statement

Funding