The first known lab-confirmed case of monkeypox in India the official declaration should come from the Union Health Ministry has been reported in a 35-year-old male in Kerala, who reached the State capital three days ago from the UAE. Monkeypox in India: 1st case found in Kerala, Centre rushes high-level team.
State Health Minister Veena George, who earlier on Thursday informed media about a possible suspected case of monkeypox, said here at 7 p.m. that the National Institute of Virology, Pune had confirmed the disease. The person, a Kollam native, has been isolated for treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (MCH).
His condition was stable, though he seemed very anxious. He had first consulted a private hospital at Kollam after he developed fever and other symptoms. He himself volunteered the information that a close contact of his in the UAE had been confirmed as having contracted monkeypox. He was referred to the MCH here.
His close contacts father and mother have also been isolated at the same hospital. Ms. George said a few other persons who might qualify as contacts the driver who took the person from the airport to his home at Kollam, the driver of the autorickshaw in which he travelled to the private hospital, the healthcare personnel who attended to him at the first hospital as well as 11 persons who had occupied the seats near him on his flight from the UAE have all been informed about the new development.
They will also have to go into isolation and monitoring for the next 21 days. Taking cognisance of the first confirmed monkeypox case in Kerala’s Kollam district, the Centre rushed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to the state on Thursday evening to collaborate with the health authorities there in instituting public health measures.
Earlier on Thursday, the health ministry issued an advisory asking all states and Union territories to increase surveillance and take necessary on-ground action to be prepared to respond to monkeypox cases. The Central team to Kerala comprises of experts drawn from National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi and senior official from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare along with experts from Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare, Kerala.
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The team shall work closely with the State Health Departments and take a stock of on-ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions. Government of India is taking proactive steps by monitoring the situation carefully and coordinating with states in case of any such possibility of outbreak occurs.
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