KATHMANDU, Jan 8: With the detection of a third case of Monkeypox (mpox) in another Nepali individual returning from abroad, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has started mulling measures to screen individuals returning to Nepal from countries with higher cases of mpox infection.
On December 29, a 44-year-old man who arrived from Saudi Arabia had tested positive for the infection caused by a virus from the orthopoxvirus group. On December 20, a 36-year-old man from Tanahun tested positive for the infection. He had also returned from Saudi Arabia. The first case of monkeypox in Nepal was confirmed on June 15, 2023, when a foreign national tested positive for the virus. All of the three cases were detected when the patients reported their symptoms to health authorities after entering Nepal from foreign countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024. However, Nepali authorities are still struggling to implement measures to detect mpox, let alone control its spread. Spokesperson for the MoHP Dr Prakash Budhathoki told Republica that government authorities have no concrete method to screen individuals returning from countries with higher cases of mpox infection.
“We cannot screen individuals with the help of methods such as swab check that was used during the COVID-19 pandemic and we do not have equipment that can be used to detect the disease in individuals,” Dr Budhathoki said, “And the only other measure that we can use to screen for Mpox is to check the genitals of the individuals for warts specific to mpox.”
Mpox confirmed in another Nepali individual returning from Saud...
Currently, methods such as Rapid test PCR, optical biosensors and disposable colloidal gold strip tests are all recognized globally as testing methods for mpox detection. However, the ministry has not procured equipment that can be used in any methods necessary to detect mpox.
In such a scenario, the health ministry has considered screening for symptoms as an alternative for mpox detection. Dr Budhathoki informed Republica that although fever is a symptom of mpox, it cannot be used as a definitive sign of mpox infection. “People could be infected with common cold during winter which also increases the body temperature,” he said, “If we are to check the returnee individuals for fever, then we might confuse the individuals suffering from common cold as patients of mpox.”
Without a concrete plan for screening of people returning from countries with high mpox infection rate, the ministry has pinned its hope on preventive measures from the general public for the control of potential mpox infections. According to Dr Budhathoki, individuals need to voluntarily undergo quarantine if they are returning from such countries.
“The general public needs to shoulder the responsibility of controlling the spread of the disease in Nepal,” Dr Budhathoki said, “Returnees from countries with higher infection rate need to stay under quarantine for three weeks and the family and friends of such individuals need to distance themselves from the individuals.” He added that loved ones of the individuals returning from abroad are also advised not to engage in sexual interaction with the individuals since mpox also spreads through bodily fluids.
In addition to the responsibility vested in the general public, the health ministry has also taken soft measures to curb mpox cases in Nepal. Dr Budhathoki informed Republica that the ministry has put up display signs at the Tribhuvan International Airport and has attempted to increase awareness about the disease by distributing information booklets and pamphlets to foreign returnees.
Mpox spreads from person to person or from animals to humans. It spreads through contact with the sores, rashes, or bodily fluids like saliva, mucus, or pus from an infected person or animal. It can also spread through direct contact with contaminated surfaces or materials, such as bedding and clothing, or through contact with infected animals like monkeys, rodents, and squirrels.
