Suspected case of monkeypox in Bihar's Nalanda

A man with symptoms of monkeypox was admitted to a hospital in Bihar's Nalanda district on Wednesday.

The patient, a resident of Rajgir in Nalanda district, has been put in home isolation with a team of health department monitoring him.

"The patient is suffering from fever and itching in the several parts of the body followed by developed poxes. We have sent his samples to the Virology institute in Pune for testing. The report is expected within four to five days," said an official of Nalanda health department.

Earlier on Tuesday, the health department of Bihar detected a suspected case of monkeypox in Patna City's Gurhatta locality as well.

The patient is a woman and a team of the health department has taken aAsample for the testing.

According to an official, the woman has all symptoms of monkeypox and she is currently isolated in her house.

In the absence of testing facility for the virus in Bihar, the samples are being sent to Pune.

Meanwhile, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey convened a high-level meeting of senior officials and gave necessary direction to look after the matter.

"The health department is on high alert and the officials have been given necessary directions and instruct to every medical and nursing staff, ANM, and Asha workers regarding it. The ANM and Asha workers were specially asked to keep a tab on high density areas and inform the department as soon as symptoms appear in any patients," Pandey said.

So far, one case of monkeypox has surfaced in Delhi and three in Kerala.

The World Health Organisation has declared a global health emergency after more than
16,000 cases appeared in 65 countries.

The virus of monkeypox is generally transmitted from animals to humans and then humans to humans. Its virus generally enters into the human bodies through mouth, nose, eyes, and skin.