Kerala releases SOP for identifying, treating monkeypox cases
The Hindu
Thiruvananthapuram
The Kerala Health department has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with regard to the isolation, treatment and sample collection of suspected and probable cases of monkeypox which are reported to the healthcare facilities in the State.
All healthcare institutions in the State in the public and private sector are expected to follow the SOP strictly when dealing with monkeypox or cases with similar symptoms, Health Minister Veena George, said.
A person of any age having a history of travel to monkeypox-affected countries within the last 21 days and presenting with an unexplained acute rash and one of more of the symptoms ( enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, bodyache, profound weakness) is defined as a ‘Suspected case” under the SOP.
A “Probable Case” is a person meeting the case definition for a suspect case, clinically compatible illness and has an epidemiological link.
It should be considered as a strong epidemiological link if there is face-to-face exposure with a confirmed case, inclusive of instances when healthcare workers face patients without appropriate PPE; direct physical contact with skin, including sexual contact or contact with contaminated materials such as clothing, bedding or utensils.
A “confirmed case” is a case which is laboratory-confirmed for monkeypox virus
All suspected and probable cases of monkeypox presenting in hospitals, both government and private, should isolate and treat the patient in that hospital itself, provided that they have the isolation facility.