Tamil Nadu to isolate international travellers with monkeypox symptoms

Representational image

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu health department has written to directors of all the international airports in the state to isolate overseas travellers with monkeypox symptoms.

In a letter to the directors of the airports in Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Salem, Madurai, and Tuticorin, the department said that travellers landing from international destinations with symptoms like fever, headache, muscle ache, or exhaustion must be isolated and their samples taken for testing.

The Director of Health Services in the letter said that these samples, such as fluids in vesicles, blood, and sputum, would be sent to the ICMR-NIV laboratory in Pune through the state public health laboratory for PCR tests.

The department called upon the deputy directors of health in all districts of the state to ensure that strict protocols are followed for the isolated people once they reach home.

While India has not reported any monkeypox cases as of now, countries like the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe have reported the virus.

The department has called upon the health workers to be prepared to deal with the monkeypox disease and to gather proper information on its treatment and prognosis.