21-day quarantine, tests: Bengaluru airport sets up Mpox testing stations

Mpox crisis: Travellers who test positive will be required to undergo a 21-day mandatory quarantine, similar to the protocols implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic

Bengaluru airport has opened four Mpox sscreening stations, where authorities are checking all the international travellers for elevated temperature and other symptoms. 

Those who test positive will be required to undergo a 21-day mandatory quarantine, similar to the protocols implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A spokesperson for the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said that the airport is ready with safety protocols.

“All international passengers arriving at the airport are being thoroughly checked for elevated temperatures as part of the screening process,” the spokesperson said.

As of now, India has reported one case of Mpox, but it was not the variant for which WHO has sounded alert. The case in India is not the Clade 1b strain, which is considered the more virulent form of the virus.

What do the safety protocols set for Mpox say?

1. An isolation zone has been set up to handle potential cases, allowing for prompt intervention if needed.

2. Passengers arriving from areas with high Mpox rates, especially from African countries, are subject to enhanced monitoring.

3. Individuals who test positive will be required to undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine, following procedures similar to those implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic. They will be released only after a subsequent test confirms they are no longer infected.

Mpox: A health emergency

On August 14, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency.

In addition, a suspected case of Mpox was reported at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport on Saturday. A traveller arriving on a PIA flight from Jeddah exhibited symptoms consistent with Mpox.

Mpox is a viral disease. Originally identified in primates, it can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or via person-to-person contact with bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials.

Symptoms include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. While the disease generally resolves on its own within a few weeks, severe cases can occur. Public health measures focus on isolation, infection control, and monitoring for outbreaks.

(With agency inputs)