Close contact with infected persons is the most significant risk factor for Monkeypox virus infection: Health Ministry

The Health Ministry, on August 3, warned that healthcare workers and household members are at a greater risk of infection

During human Monkeypox outbreaks, close contact with infected persons is the most significant risk factor for Monkeypox virus infection, said the Health Ministry, on Wednesday, while releasing a one-page guide on dos and don’t for Monkeypox. It warned that healthcare workers and household members are at a greater risk of infection.

The Ministry has advised against sharing linen, bedding or towels with people who have contracted Monkeypox and not washing soiled linen or laundry of infected persons with those of non-infected individuals. It added that people should not attend public events if they exhibit symptoms of Monkeypox and refrain from stigmatising groups of people based on misinformation.

“We, however, advise that infected persons be isolated and disinfectants should be used for environmental sanitation. People should continue wearing a mask and wash hands with soaps etc,’’ said the information released by the Ministry.

Medical complications with the disease include secondary infections, pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis and Corneal involvement (may lead to loss of vision), said the Ministry.

``The extent to which asymptomatic infection occurs is unknown. The case fatality ratio of Monkeypox has historically ranged from 0 to 11% in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has been around 3-6%,’’ it added.

The Ministry further said that while human-to-human transmission is known to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets generally requiring a prolonged close contact, animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch of infected animals like small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes) or through bush meat preparation.

The Ministry, in its guidelines on Monkeypox, further cautioned that while Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks, severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complications.