Nepal at Risk of Mpox Infection, Helath Ministry Seeks Cooperation from Civil Society

The Ministry of Health and Population has warned that Nepal is at risk of Mpox (monkeypox) infection.

Spokesperson for the ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, stated that the infection is spreading rapidly in neighboring India, putting Nepal in a vulnerable position. Last year, a 60-year-old foreign woman in Nepal was diagnosed with the Mpox virus.

The ministry has already consulted with experts to prepare for its prevention. Health desks at air and border transits, as well as federal, provincial, and local levels, have been instructed to remain vigilant and take appropriate measures against the risk of infection.

Hospitals and doctors in all seven provinces have been designated for the prevention and management of Mpox.

Of late, the African country of Congo has been battling the Clade 1b variant of Mpox, which is considered deadly. Since January, this variant has claimed 548 lives. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a health emergency over the virus's spread.

Mpox spreads through direct contact with an infected person or animal, skin-to-skin contact with Mpox rashes or scabs, contact with bodily fluids and saliva, and contaminated clothing, towels, bedding, or objects. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, bumps (appearing between one and three days after infection), headache, muscle aches, bone aches, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. The infection can lead to severe complications such as loss of eyesight, pneumonia, encephalitis, miscarriage, and even death.

The ministry hopes for strong cooperation from the civil society in adopting health protocols to prevent the risk. The ministry emphasized that with public readiness, the risk can be effectively mitigated. -- RSS