Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Unpacking a conundrum: on potential severity of monkeypox

Unpacking a conundrum: on potential severity of monkeypox

The authorities (प्राधिकारी वर्ग, अधिकारी, प्रभारी लोग) must communicate the potential (संभावना) severity (गम्भीरता, तीक्ष्णता) of monkeypox

A fortnight after India confirmed its first case of monkeypox, it has reported its first casualty (दुर्घटना, आकस्मिक घटना). A 22-year-old man, from Thrissur in Kerala, died due to suspected (संदिग्ध, शंकालु, निंदक) monkeypox symptoms, a day after which Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George said he had tested positive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The patient was undergoing (गुजरना, सामना करना) treatment in a private hospital for severe fatigue (थकान, मेहनत, श्रम) and brain fever, six days after his arrival in the State on July 21. His swab (a piece of soft, absorbent material attached to a stick to take samples (specimens) of body fluids, clean wounds or apply medicines) samples have been sent to the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) centre in Alappuzha for confirmation. Death from the virus is reportedly (कथित तौर पर, माना जाता है, प्रतीत होता है) rare, though as the experience of COVID-19 shows, it could vary depending on the population at hand (nearby, around, close by, about the place, in the neighbourhood, within reach). According to the World Health Organization (विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन), the case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically (ऐतिहासिक दृष्टि से, आम तौर पर) ranged from 0% to 11% in the general population and has been higher among young children. In recent times, the case fatality (the proportion of people who die from a specified disease or injury due to accident) ratio has been around (all over, here and there in, everywhere in, in all parts of) 3%-6%. While the disease has been around in Africa since the 1970s, it has also been reported in the U.S., the U.K. and Israel. In 2017, Nigeria experienced a large outbreak (प्रकोप, अचानक प्रकट होना), with a case fatality (death, casualty, mortality/loss) ratio of approximately 3%; cases continue to be reported. It is the surge (sudden increase or rise of something) outside Africa, in 78 countries, that has elevated (तरक्की, बढ़ाना) the risk profile (It’s a scientific tool that uses quantitative data on health risk factors (like age, weight, cholesterol and glucose levels, family history of disease, etc.) to calculate a person’s risk of getting certain diseases/conditions) of the disease along with the realisation that there are considerable (विचारणीय, पर्याप्त, महत्वपूर्ण) gaps in knowledge on whether the disease poses (constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk)) a greater risk to specific population groups, just as it was eventually (in the end, in due course, in time) determined for COVID-19. In monkeypox (Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. It is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. There are two clades of monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central African) clade) deaths in Brazil and Spain, the patients were reported to have had serious associated (related, connected, linked, correlated) syndromes such as encephalitis (it is a sudden sudden inflammation (swelling) of the brain) and lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system (including the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow)), though it is unclear what role the virus played in their disease outcome (development, effect, result).

That monkeypox spreads mainly through sexual transmission and close contact — it is not an airborne (transmitted by air) disease — should not be of comfort (consolation, solace, condolence, sympathy, fellow feeling) to health authorities. The death in Thrissur highlights (emphasize, draw attention on, underline, underscore) the need (necessity, essential requirement, prerequisite) for a thorough (rigorous, in-depth, minute, detailed, meticulous, scrupulous, careful, complete, intensive, extensive) probe as well as a public disclosure (announcement, report; communication, release) on the case progression (progress, process, advancement, development, passage). For instance (as an example), Kerala’s health authorities say the person was admitted not after being confirmed to be monkeypox-positive but due to a fever and experiencing fatigue. It was only later that the rashes (a skin rash, also medically known as dermatitis, is a skin condition (an area of the skin that has changes in texture or color and may look inflamed or irritated)) and blisters (a collection of fluid underneath the top layer of skin (epidermis); bubble, swelling, bulge) showed up. Intriguingly (interestingly, fascinatingly), that he had tested positive for monkeypox was disclosed to the health authorities a day before he died. It is to rule out (exclude, eliminate, reject, dismiss, disregard) a misdiagnosis (an incorrect/wrong diagnosis) of monkeypox (by the UAE) that the NIV has undertaken (engage in, become involved in, devote oneself to; take up, accept, take responsibility for) a re-test. India has announced a task force (a group of people (delegation) sent on a mission (assignment, undertaking, or operation)) to monitor the disease spread. The Indian Council of Medical Research has isolated the strain (variety, kind, type; variant, mutant) of the virus and invited vaccine (a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease) makers to develop a vaccine. It has also invited proposals to develop diagnostic (the process of identifying a disease) kits. While it is fortunate (favourable, advantageous, beneficial, opportune, helpful, useful, valuable) that the disease so far appears to be self-limiting (self-recovering; (in clinical medicine) referring to any disease that is resolving without treatment), the Government must not be slack (lax, negligent, neglectful, careless, lackadaisical, lazy, inefficient, incompetent, inattentive, offhand, casual, disorderly, disorganized) in transparently (directly/clearly, straightforwardly, undoubtedly, precisely) communicating the potential severity of the disease.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.unpack (verb)

Hindi Meaning - खोलना, विश्लेषण, पहुंच
English Meaning - analyse, access (components/elements in something).

2.conundrum (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहेली, कठिनाई
English Meaning - problem, difficulty, quandary/dilemma.

3.potential (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संभावना
English Meaning - possible, likely, probable.

4.severity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गम्भीरता, तीक्ष्णता
English Meaning - acuteness, seriousness, danger, extremity.

5.authorities (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्राधिकारी वर्ग, अधिकारी, प्रभारी लोग
English Meaning - officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the government, the administration, the establishment, the bureaucracy, the system.

6.casualty (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दुर्घटना, आकस्मिक घटना
English Meaning - victim, fatality, mortality, loss, death.

7.suspected (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संदिग्ध, शंकालु, निंदक
English Meaning - suspicious, sceptical, doubtful, cynical.

8.undergo (verb)

Hindi Meaning - गुजरना, सामना करना
English Meaning - go through, be subjected to, come in for, cope with.

9.fatigue (noun)

Hindi Meaning - थकान, मेहनत, श्रम
English Meaning - tiredness, weariness, exhaustion.

10.reportedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कथित तौर पर, माना जाता है, प्रतीत होता है
English Meaning - supposedly, seemingly, apparently, professedly, ostensibly, purportedly.

11.World Health Organization (WHO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन
English Meaning - Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable - so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health.

12.historically (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - ऐतिहासिक दृष्टि से, आम तौर पर
English Meaning - normally, generally, typically.

13.outbreak (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रकोप, अचानक प्रकट होना
English Meaning - sudden appearance/occurrence. outburst, epidemic.

14.elevate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - तरक्की, बढ़ाना
English Meaning - increase, raise.

15.considerable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विचारणीय, पर्याप्त, महत्वपूर्ण
English Meaning - substantial, significant, fairly large.

16.monkeypox (noun)

English Meaning - Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. It is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. There are two clades of monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central African) clade.

17.fortnight (noun)

English Meaning - a period of two weeks/fourteen days continuously.

18.swab (noun)

English Meaning - a piece of soft, absorbent material attached to a stick to take samples (specimens) of body fluids, clean wounds or apply medicines.

19.Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (noun)

English Meaning - the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. As early as in 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) with the specific objective of sponsoring and coordinating medical research in the country. It was redesignated in 1949 as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

20.National Institute of Virology (NIV) (noun)

English Meaning - The National Institute of Virology is one of the major Institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It was established at Pune, Maharashtra State in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC) to do intensive training and research in virology in India.

21.at hand (phrase)

English Meaning - nearby, around, close by, about the place, in the neighbourhood, within reach.

22.case fatality rate/ratio (noun)

English Meaning - the proportion of people who die from a specified disease or injury due to accident.

23.fatality (noun)

English Meaning - death, casualty, mortality/loss.

24.around (adjective)

English Meaning - all over, here and there in, everywhere in, in all parts of.

25.surge (noun)

English Meaning - sudden increase or rise of something.

26.(disease) risk profile (noun)

English Meaning - It’s a scientific tool that uses quantitative data on health risk factors (like age, weight, cholesterol and glucose levels, family history of disease, etc.) to calculate a person’s risk of getting certain diseases/conditions.

27.realisation (noun)

English Meaning - awareness, understanding, comprehension, consciousness, apprehension, recognition, perception, discernment.

28.pose (verb)

English Meaning - constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk).

29.eventually (adverb)

English Meaning - in the end, in due course, in time.

30.associated (adjective)

English Meaning - related, connected, linked, correlated.

31.syndrome (noun)

English Meaning - In general, it means “concurrence-many things happen at the same time”. In medicine, it is a set of signs and symptoms correlated with each other and often associated with a particular disease or disorder.

32.encephalitis (noun)

English Meaning - it is a sudden sudden inflammation (swelling) of the brain.

33.lymphoma (noun)

English Meaning - cancer of the lymphatic system (including the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow).

34.play a part/role (phrase)

English Meaning - contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

35.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - development, effect, result.

36.airborne (adjective)

English Meaning - transmitted by air.

37.comfort (noun)

English Meaning - consolation, solace, condolence, sympathy, fellow feeling.

38.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, draw attention on, underline, underscore.

39.need (noun)

English Meaning - necessity, essential requirement, prerequisite.

40.thorough (adjective)

English Meaning - rigorous, in-depth, minute, detailed, meticulous, scrupulous, careful, complete, intensive, extensive.

41.disclosure (noun)

English Meaning - announcement, report; communication, release.

42.progression (noun)

English Meaning - progress, process, advancement, development, passage.

43.for instance (phrase)

English Meaning - as an example.

44.rash (noun)

English Meaning - a skin rash, also medically known as dermatitis, is a skin condition (an area of the skin that has changes in texture or color and may look inflamed or irritated).

45.blister (noun)

English Meaning - a collection of fluid underneath the top layer of skin (epidermis); bubble, swelling, bulge.

46.intriguingly (adverb)

English Meaning - interestingly, fascinatingly.

47.disclose (verb)

English Meaning - reveal, make known, communicate.

48.rule out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - exclude, eliminate, reject, dismiss, disregard.

49.misdiagnosis (noun)

English Meaning - an incorrect/wrong diagnosis.

50.undertake (verb)

English Meaning - engage in, become involved in, devote oneself to; take up, accept, take responsibility for.

51.task force (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people (delegation) sent on a mission (assignment, undertaking, or operation).

52.strain (noun)

English Meaning - variety, kind, type; variant, mutant.

53.vaccine (noun)

English Meaning - a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.

54.diagnostic (noun)

English Meaning - the process of identifying a disease.

55.fortunate (verb)

English Meaning - favourable, advantageous, beneficial, opportune, helpful, useful, valuable.

56.self-limiting (adjective)

English Meaning - self-recovering; (in clinical medicine) referring to any disease that is resolving without treatment.

57.slack (adjective)

English Meaning - lax, negligent, neglectful, careless, lackadaisical, lazy, inefficient, incompetent, inattentive, offhand, casual, disorderly, disorganized.

58.transparently (adverb)

English Meaning - directly/clearly, straightforwardly, undoubtedly, precisely.