Monkeypox in Kerala: India's first Monkeypox case reported in Kerala, Centre rushes expert team

Monkeypox in Kerala: India's first monkeypox case was reported in Kollam, Kerala on July 14, 2022. The Union Health Ministry will be deploying a multi-disciplinary Central team to support the Kerala government in probing the outbreak and instituting requisite health measures.

The monkeypox case has been reported in a 35-year-old man who arrived in Kerala on July 12th from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He had reached Trivandrum airport and all steps were being taken as per the guidelines issued by WHO and ICMR, said Kerala Health Minister Veena George.

The patient is reportedly quite stable and all his vitals are normal. The primary contacts of the monkeypox case in India include his father, mother, taxi driver, auto driver and 11 passengers who were in adjacent seats on his flight. 

Following India's first case of Monkeypox in Kollam, Kerala, Union Health Ministry to deploy a multi-disciplinary Central team to support the Kerala govt in probing the outbreak and instituting requisite health measures https://t.co/AhCcCBImx4 pic.twitter.com/E6Ia4uaRbp

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2022

Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that there is nothing to worry about or to be anxious about. All the steps are being taken and the patient is stable. The Kerala Health Department has issued guidelines on Monkey Pox. 

There is nothing to worry about or to be anxious about. All the steps are being taken and the patient is stable: Kerala Health Minister Veena George pic.twitter.com/J8gSm3C9GN

— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2022

Centre rushes team to Kerala

The Union Health Ministry has rushed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Kerala to support the state health authorities in instituting public health measures in view of India's first confirmed case of monkeypox in Kollam district of Kerala.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan also wrote a letter to all the states and union territories, reiterating some of the key actions that are required to contain the spread of the disease.

Monkeypox in Kerala

• The monkeypox case in Kerala has been reported in a man who returned from the UAE recently. 
• He was admitted to a hospital in the state after he showed Monkeypox symptoms. 
• The person was allegedly in close contact with a monkeypox patient abroad. 
• The traveller's samples were sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, where it was confirmed that he has monkeypox.
• This is the first such reporting of Monkeypox in India. 

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis disease transmitted to humans from animals with symptoms similar to those seen in smallpox patients. It has emerged as the most important orthopox virus after the eradication of smallpox in 1980.

Is Monkeypox deadly? 

Monkeypox virus is clinically less severe than smallpox, as per World Health Organisation (WHO). It is usually a self-limiting disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks.

How is Monkeypox transmitted?

Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal. The virus is transmitted from one person to another through close contact with body fluids of the infected person or contaminated materials such as clothes or bedding. 

Monkeypox symptoms 

Monkeypox resembles smallpox and its most common symptoms include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications.