CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla on met Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and said that preparations are being made for the Monkepox vaccine.
As India registered its 8th Monkeypox case with another fresh case reported in Delhi, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. After the meeting, Poonawalla said that research and preparations are being done for a Monkeypox vaccine.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Poonawalla said, “My meeting went well like always. All preparations for the vaccine are being done; I briefed the minister on this. We are researching the vaccine for Monkeypox and if there’s a need for it.”
This comes at a time when another Nigerian man living in Delhi tested positive for Monkeypox. This is the third such case in the national capital and eighth in the country (including one death). On Monday, a 35-year-old Nigerian man, living in Delhi and having no recent history of foreign travel, tested positive for Monkeypox. On July 30, a 22-year-old man hailing from Kerala lost his life due to the virus.
Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent Nursing Homes of the Delhi Government has directed three private hospitals to create at least 10 isolation rooms for Monkeypox cases – 5 for management of suspected cases of Monkeypox and 5 isolation rooms for management of confirmed cases of Monkeypox.
Monkeypox scare
On July 23, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Monkeypox a global health emergency. Over 18,000 cases have been reported from 78 countries. India has reported eight cases of the virus, out of which five were reported in Kerala whereas three were reported in Delhi.
Africa had emerged as the country with the highest number of monkeypox deaths. The task force chaired by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul had been constituted and the Centre had initiated surveillance of the disease at various international airports.
