Mpox virus has minimal pandemic potential, nothing to panic: OMAG

Mumbai: Amid one suspected case of Mpox detected in India, Organised Medicine Academic Guild (OMAG), an umbrella organization of professional medical associations of post-graduate doctors, said that there is nothing to panic as the mpox virus (MPXV) has minimal pandemic potential; however, we cannot lower the guard. 

“Mpox is not transmitted through the respiratory route - droplets, aerosols, surface - it can not be equated with Covid and cannot become a major epidemic, hence general people need to be aware, nothing to panic about,” said Dr Ishwar Gilada, Secretary General, OMAG.

“Mpox is spreading and is expected to spread further. Hence precautionary measures are required to detect cases at the earliest, isolate them and prevent its spread. There is no perfect anti-Mpox treatment, though few antivirals are available and can be tried on a case-by-case basis. Mainstay thus remains as symptomatic and supportive care, treating secondary infections, managing fluid balance and preventing complications,” said Dr Gilada, an infectious diseases expert.

According to Dr Gilada, Smallpox vaccine can be used for treatment and prevention purposes. “Pandemic preparedness and Global Health Security (GHS) should be in place. We stay open minded and we need to learn to tackle it – but in a humane way. India is a classical example of how the adversary can be turned into opportunity and how beggars can be changed to being a donor, and thus is expanding its horizons towards Smallpox Vaccine production,” he said.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, especially the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) should be proactive in encompassing newer STDs as well as the diseases that affect key populations, in their scope of work, he said.

“The need for improved preparedness and readiness, heightened surveillance, and scaled-up preventive and control measures in communities and healthcare facilities is critical. This will prevent outbreaks, enable early response, and reduce transmission. The Mpox outbreak did not and will not lead to lockdowns. No mass vaccination or isolation is recommended. Meticulous contact tracing will suffice,” he said.