Visakhapatnam, 19th August 2022: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox is a virus that is transmitted from animals to humans and has symptoms similar to smallpox, although the disease is less clinically severe.

The first indigenously manufactured RT PCR kit to test for monkeypox was introduced in Andhra Pradesh’s MedTech zone on Friday. This kit, developed by Trans Asia Bio Medicals, was launched by Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Central Government. The Trans Asia Erba Monkeypox RT PCR Kit is highly sensitive yet easy to use. 

This year, Africa has the highest number of deaths due to monkeypox in the world. A total of 3,232 cases have been registered in Africa and 105 people have died. However, only a portion has been confirmed because the continent lacks adequate clinical resources. So far 10 cases of monkeypox have been reported in India. The kit, developed by Trans Asia Bio Medicals, was launched by Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Central Government. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) may conduct a sero-survey to check the presence of antibodies in people exposed to monkeypox patients. Along with this, ICMR can also find out how many of them did not have symptoms of infection.

Official sources gave this information on Friday. It was said that, it is not yet known what the proportion of people is among those who do not show symptoms of the viral infection. After the medical organization carried the expression of interest, 31 bids from manufacturers expressing their attention in creating vaccines and diagnostic tools against the monkeypox virus were received (EOI).