First Monkeypox case in India confirmed in Kerala

One person in Kerala was found to be infected with Monkeypox on Thursday, making it the first Monkeypox case being confirmed in the country.

As per WHO, around 9,200 Monkeypox cases were reported in 63 countries so far.

Kerala health minister Veena George said that a 35-year-old man who came from UAE a few days back was found to be infected with Monkeypox. His condition, however, was stable.

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All his primary contacts, including his parents, eleven passengers who sat near him on the flight, an auto driver, a taxi driver and doctors and staff at a private hospital in Kollam were also kept under isolation. The incubation period of the virus is 21 days.

The minister said that the infected person himself was quite suspicious about the infection as one of his close friends abroad got infected. Hence he took precautions like covering body while travelling from UAE to Thiruvananthapuram.

He took treatment at a private hospital in Kollam following symptoms like fever, headache and boils on the body. Following suspicions, he was shifted to a government hospital.

The sample collected from the person was sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and the result came by evening.

The patient is now under treatment at Thiruvananthapuram government medical college hospital. He is being given treatment in consultation with experts. A central health team is expected to reach Kerala by Friday.

Kerala Health department Nodal officer Dr Amar Fettle told DH that the immediate detection of Monkeypox case in the state highlighted the alertness of the state's health system.

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As soon as Monkeypox cases were reported in foreign countries, Kerala health authorities went into alert as the state had a considerable NRI population. As a result, the case could be detected at the early stage itself. With regard to Covid also, it was the alertness of the state's health system that helped in detecting the initial case swiftly, Fettle said.

Health experts said that the zoonotic disease spreads mainly through close contact only. The mortality rate was also very low.

The first Covid case in the country was also reported in Kerala on January 30, 2020, on a medical student from China.