The Centre has instructed airports, ports, and border authorities to remain vigilant for symptoms of monkeypox (mpox) among international travelers, given the global spread of the disease.

In response to the evolving situation, the government has designated three state-run hospitals in Delhi—Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Hospital—as key facilities for quarantining, managing, and treating mpox patients. All states have been advised to prepare hospitals as nodal centers to handle potential cases and to inform the public accordingly.

PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, led a review meeting on Sunday to assess the nation's preparedness for mpox amid heightened surveillance efforts. Officials confirmed that no mpox cases have been reported in India to date and the current assessment indicates a low risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified mpox as a public health emergency of international concern due to its widespread impact across Africa. Despite the virus's increased virulence, Indian health officials assess the risk of a significant outbreak as minimal for now.

The Health Ministry has directed the establishment of a robust network of testing laboratories, with 32 laboratories across the country now equipped to test for mpox. The WHO has reported a total of 99,176 mpox cases and 208 deaths globally since 2022, with a significant rise in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In India, 30 cases have been reported since 2022, with the most recent case detected in March of this year.