Karnataka health department identifies 29 primary contacts of the 40-year-old man who tested positive for Mpox

Bengaluru: At least 29 primary contacts of the 40-year-old man who tested positive for Mpox have been identified by the state health department, 20 of whom were traced and recommended to self-isolate as of Thursday.

DH reported that Karnataka saw its first suspected case of Mpox late on Wednesday.

According to department sources, the 40-year-old native of Karkala (Udupi district), who has been working in Dubai for 19 years, reached Mangaluru early on January 17 via an Air India Express flight. He went to KMC Hospital Attavar, Mangaluru, after observing rashes on his body. He reportedly presented with fever two days before that.

The man’s 36-year-old wife was one of the primary contacts as she picked him up from the airport and also took him to the hospital in their vehicle. Four crew members, an immigration officer, a customs official, and 22 passengers in the three rows ahead of the man have been identified, nine of them could not be contacted via phone.

“His samples were referred to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) and NIV, Pune, and they came back positive on Wednesday evening (January 22) for Mpox virus. He is isolated and is stable in the hospital. Our officers identified the primary contacts within two hours. We are actively monitoring the situation every minute,” said Dr Ansar Ahmed, Project Director, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).

The state health and family welfare department noted that it is monitoring the situation closely.

“Mpox spreads only through close contact and is usually very mild. People who have recently travelled to some of the countries where cases are being reported need to keep an eye out for any rashes and lesions. Immunocompromised individuals and elderly need to take precautions but people should not panic,” said Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary, state health and family welfare department.

What is Mpox?

Infectious viral zoonotic disease, with symptoms lasting two to four weeks.

Symptoms: rash, fever, headache, muscle ache, chills, sore throat and cough, and swollen lymph nodes.

Transmission: close contact with body fluids, skin or lesions, clothing of infected persons, or scratches or bites from infected animals.