Lucknow, Jun 9 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the health department and hospitals to remain on alert, following rise in Monkeypox cases.

He has ordered the top officials to make the general public aware about the symptoms and treatment of Monkeypox as per the Centre's guidelines.

According to a government spokesman, not a single case of Monkeypox has been reported in Uttar Pradesh as yet but in the wake of its danger, the state government has asked the concerned department to keep an eye on the people who are returning from abroad.

Instructing the health officials to monitor people with rashes (not necessarily the disease), especially those who have recently returned from abroad where Monkeypox patients have been found or they have come in contact with the patient, the chief minister said, "People with suspicious symptoms should get their blood tested."

Instructions have also been issued to set up ten-bed wards in the state medical colleges so that patients can be admitted and treated with immediate effect.

The health department is keeping full vigil in the state and has issued an advisory for symptoms and treatment of Monkeypox. Samples of suspected patients will be sent to labs located in Pune.

Monkeypox has been reported to be causing a mild infection. The virus spreads from person to person mainly through exposure to respiratory droplets, which can enter the body through mucous membranes in the eyes, mouth, and nose. It can also be transmitted when a person has contact with infected lesions or body fluids.