A 22-year-old patient with monkeypox died in Kerala on Sunday, after which the concern increased. The patient who was admitted to the hospital in the Thrissur district of the state was infected with monkeypox in the UAE itself.
Meanwhile, the person came to India on July 22 and was admitted to the hospital on July 27.
The officials of the Education and Health standing committee said, “The situation is well under control, there’s no panic here as of now. The person had direct contact with only 10 people including family members and a few friends. 20 people quarantined so far.”
Moreover, the state Health Minister Veena George has initiated an inquiry. “The result of the test conducted in the foreign country was positive. He sought treatment in Thrissur due to severe fatigue and encephalitis and Monkeypox is not a fatal disease,” said George.
So far, four cases of monkeypox have been reported in India, out of which three are from Kerala. One patient has recovered and returned home on Saturday.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, more than 18,000 cases have been reported in 78 countries.
“The monkeypox outbreak can be stopped if countries, communities, and individuals inform themselves, take the risks seriously, and take the steps needed to stop transmission and protect vulnerable groups,” said Dr. Tedros, Director General, WHO on Thursday.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The disease is endemic in regions like West and Central Africa but now the cases have been reported in non-endemic countries.