The person had tested positive in the UAE about 10 days ago but had not disclosed it to the doctors who attended to him in Kerala, state Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday
India has confirmed its first monkeypox death on Monday, a day after a youth who showed symptoms of Monkeypox died in Kerala’s Thrissur. The person had tested positive in the UAE about 10 days ago but had not disclosed it to the doctors who attended to him in Kerala, state Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday.
The 22-year-old’s sample was sent to the National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha. The results were expected today. He was not among the three who tested positive for Monkeypox in Kerala. If positive, he could be the first victim of Monkeypox in the country and the fourth outside Africa.
The Kerala Health Minister said that the victim was a native of Punniyoor in Thrissur. He returned from Ras Al Khaimah on 21 July. He had conducted tests for Monkeypox on 19 and 20 July and both the results turned out to be positive.
His relatives handed over the results to the doctors in Thrissur only on Saturday, according to reports.
Notably, India has reported five cases of monkeypox so far, of which three cases are from Kerala, one is from Delhi and one from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur.
Following this, the central government is on an alert even as the count of infections in some other countries has risen.
NITI Aayog’s member (Health) Dr VK Paul said that there is absolutely no need for any panic as the government has taken significant measures to keep the disease in check.
In an Interview with news agency ANI, Dr Paul sought to assert that there was no need for any undue panic but added that it was still important that the country and the society stay vigilant.”There is no need to panic, as of now, but one must report in time if they spot any symptoms, he said.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), more than 18,000 cases have been reported from 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.
