Kerala on Wednesday confirmed India's second Mpox, or monkeypox case. A 38-year-old man who was undergoing treatment in Kerala's Malappuram has been confirmed with Mpox infection.
A 38-year-old man who was undergoing treatment in Kerala's Malappuram has been confirmed with Mpox infection, the state health department has said, adding that he is being treated in accordance with established medical protocols. This is India's second confirmed monkeypox case.
Health Minister Veena George said a 38-year-old man from Malappuram had tested positive after returning from the United Arab Emirates. In a post on Facebook, Veena George also urged the public to seek treatment and inform the Health Department if they displayed any of the known symptoms.
Also read: Kerala: 38-year-old man under observation for suspected Mpox symptoms in Malappuram
Health Minister confirmed today that a 38-year-old man from the UAE, who had been undergoing treatment for Mpox-like symptoms, has tested positive for in Malappuram district.
The individual is currently under isolation and receiving care. The Health… pic.twitter.com/vJ77bC960u
The Health Minister said the Mpox patient had been isolated and is being treated in accordance with established medical protocols.
The man who recently returned from abroad showed symptoms of the disease. After feeling unwell, he was first admitted to a private hospital and later transferred to Manjeri Medical College. His samples were then sent to the Kozhikode Medical College for testing.
Nine days ago India reported its first case - a young man, who had travelled from western Africa - tested positive in Delhi. He too is stable and has been isolated to prevent the virus from spreading.
There is no indication of widespread risk to the public at this time, the government had said, explaining that testing had confirmed the presence of 'clade 2' of the virus in the country, and that this particular strain is "similar to 30 cases reported earlier in India, from July 2022 onwards".
This case is not linked to the current global public health emergency, which involves clade 1 of the Mpox virus, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the government press release read.
The Union Health Ministry had also issued an advisory to states, Union territories and recommended screening and testing of all suspected Mpox, or monkeypox patients, and isolation of confirmed cases, as well as contact tracing to minimise risk of transmission.
Monkeypox is a viral illness similar to smallpox. The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or through materials contaminated with the virus. This year, Mpox cases have increased by 160 per cent, affecting 10 African countries.