Kerala Reports 5th Monkeypox Case, 7 In India So Far

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala reported another case of Monkeypox in the Malappuram district on Tuesday just after two days the state confirmed its first monkeypox death.

As per Kerala Health Minister Veena George, the person who is 30 years old is undergoing treatment in Malappuram. With this, the total cases of monkeypox are now 5 and seventh in the country.

"The man arrived on July 21 and interacted with family and friends. He started showing symptoms such as abnormal jerking and breathing issues but he didn't have blisters or rashes. There are 20 primary contacts that include health workers, family, and friends," George said.

Taking cognizance of the same, the Government of India has now formed a task force on Monkeypox which will be headed by Dr. VK Paul and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan among other members.

On Sunday a man in Kerala, who was suffering from the Monkeypox virus died and this was India's first monkeypox death.

The youth had landed in Kerala on July 22 from the United Arab Emirates.

The monkeypox outbreak has seen more than 22,000 cases in nearly 80 countries since May. There have been 75 suspected deaths in Africa, mostly in Nigeria and Congo.

What is Monkeypox?

According to UKHSA, Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily among people. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals.

"It is important to emphasize that monkeypox does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the general public is very low," Dr. Colin Brown, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at the UKHSA, said on Saturday.

''We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) to contact the individuals who have had close contact with the case prior to confirmation of their infection, to assess them as necessary and provide advice. UKHSA and the NHS have well-established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed.,'' he added.

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