Telangana State gets ready to tackle Mpox, special wards set up in hospitals

Hyderabad: With some cases of Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, being reported at a few places in the country, the State government has taken varied measures, including setting up separate wards in hospitals, to tackle a spurt of cases in the city.

Already two separate wards have been set up for the Mpox cases for men and women patients in Gandhi Hospital. Recently, the top health officials visited various government hospitals to take stock of the facilities available there and gave necessary instructions to the staff on hygiene and other facilities.

The Health and Family Welfare Commissioner, RV Karnan, visited the Fever Hospital. Similarly, Vaidya Vidhana Parishad commissioner Dr Ajay Kumar went around the Gandhi Hospital. Director of Public Health Ravinder Naik visited Osmania Hospital, and DME Vani visited the Koti district hospital and enquired about the facilities.

They visited wards and enquired about facilities being given to patients by interacting with them. They held discussions on special wards and medicine stock with the staff and enquired about treatment and facilities.

According to health experts, Mpox typically presents a set of flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle ache, chill, and exhaustion, often accompanied by swollen lymph nodes. These initial symptoms are followed by the development of rashes, which usually begin 1-3 days after the onset of fever.

The rashes progress from flat, red spots to raised bumps, and then to fluid-filled blisters, which may turn into pustules. They often start on the face and spread to other parts of the body, including hands, feet, and mucous membranes. The blisters eventually crust over and fall off; the illness generally lasts two to four weeks.