Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday said that the mpox patient admitted at Lok Nayak Jaiprakash (LNJP) Hospital is in a stable condition.

Bharadwaj conducted a surprise inspection of the hospital to assess preparations for dealing with mpox and dengue and also spoke to the mpox patient. “This patient of mpox has a travel history. So, it is believed that he got this infection when he was outside the country. Right now, the patient has been kept in isolation in the disaster management ward here. His condition is said to be stable,” said the minister.              

Bharadwaj emphasised that there was no need to panic over mpox, as it spreads through contact, not through the air. “We have reviewed that how the doctors will identify a dengue patient if they come in emergency and then how will they be shifted to a different ward. Similarly, surprise inspections will be conducted in other hospitals as well so that if the need arises, all facilities are available in the hospitals,” said the health minister.

The senior AAP leader talked to the hospital administration and assessed the arrangements made in the hospital for the patients of mpox and dengue. “The patients as well as their attendants expressed their satisfaction in terms of cleanliness. Similarly, the patients and their family members expressed satisfaction about the quality of food provided in the hospital,’ a party leader said.

While LNJP has been designated as the nodal facility, two other hospitals are on standby. The LNJP Hospital has a total of 20 isolation rooms for the patients, including 10 for confirmed cases.

The Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital and Baba Saheb Ambedkar will have 10 rooms each for such patients, with five rooms each for suspected cases.