Chennai, May 24 (IANS): After monkeypox disease was reported in non-endemic countries like Germany, the US, the UK, France, and Australia, the Tamil Nadu government has put all the district collectors and the district medical officers on a high alert.

Tamil Nadu health secretary J. Radhakrishnan has sent a circular to all the district collectors to be on alert against the disease and to join with the district medical officers to conduct proper checks on those who have travelled to the countries where monkeypox disease was detected.

The state health secretary in his circular also directed the collectors and district medical officers to be on alert for unexplained rashes in the bodies of people, including children.

The state health secretary also directed the medical officers to report all suspected cases at the healthcare centres. All the patients should be reported to the district surveillance officer of the Integrated District Surveillance officer.

The health department directed the district medical officers to send the laboratory samples consisting of blood, sputum, and fluid from vesicles to the National Institute of Virology.

It is to be noted that viral zoonotic disease occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and west Africa and is transmitted fast once it contracts humans. It can be transmitted from animal to human and from humans to human.