Bihar on High Alert as Monkeypox Concerns Rise, Health Advisory Issued

Patna: The Bihar health department and district administration have ramped up efforts to tackle the potential spread of monkeypox in the state, issuing an advisory to the public. Patna District Magistrate (DM) Dr. Chandrashekhar Singh has urged residents to adhere to the health guidelines issued by the government to prevent the spread of the monkeypox virus, now referred to as ampox.

In response to growing concerns, Dr. Singh has instructed the Civil Surgeon of Patna to establish a health desk at Patna Airport, which is now operational. This measure, implemented as per the standard operating procedure (SOP), aims to monitor incoming international passengers by documenting their travel history over the past 21 days. As part of this process, travelers will also be required to submit a self-declaration form in the prescribed format, detailing their recent travel history and health status.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared ampox a global public health emergency on 14 August 2024, prompting heightened vigilance in Bihar. Alongside the measures at Patna Airport, the Patna Civil Surgeon has been directed to coordinate with the Inland Navigation Authority at Gaighat to ensure the surveillance of international passengers arriving in the state by ship.

Isolation wards are being set up for suspected monkeypox patients at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Patna and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH). The state government has mandated that each of these facilities reserve five beds for suspected cases and another five for confirmed patients. Furthermore, the DM has called for the appointment of a nodal officer to oversee monkeypox surveillance at the medical college level.

The health department issued a formal advisory on Sunday, emphasizing the importance of these precautionary measures. State Survey Officer Dr. Ranjit Kumar communicated the advisory to the Civil Surgeons of Patna and Gaya, as well as the superintendents of IDH Patna, NMCH, and Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College in Gaya. The advisory includes guidelines for establishing help desks at Patna and Gaya airports and calls for the monitoring of foreign travelers arriving at Gayghat in Patna through the Inland Navigation Authority.