Monkeypox in India: 1 More Case in Kerala Takes Country's Tally to 3

The latest patient is a 35-year-old man who had just returned from the UAE.

Third Monkeypox case in India

(Photo: iStock)

A third case of monkeypox was confirmed in India on Friday, 22 July.

The patient is a 35-year-old man from Mallapuram in Kerala, who had recently returned from the UAE on 6 July, reported PTI.

He was reportedly admitted to Manjerry Medical College Hospital on 13 July and began showing symptoms on 15 July, said Kerala Health Minister Veena George, adding that his family and close relations are under observation.

His health condition is stable, she added.

India's Monkeypox Cases

The second positive case of monkeypox in Kerala was found in Kannur district on Monday, 18 July. The patient had arrived at the Mangalore Airport from Dubai on 13 July, and was subsequently admitted to the hospital after he exhibited symptoms of the disease.

The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, studied his samples, confirming the second case of monkeypox in the country.

India's first monkeypox case was reported in Kerala on Thursday, 14 July, in a 35-year-old man who arrived from United Arab Emirates (UAE). That was also the first monkeypox case in the southeast Asia region, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of monkeypox cases has crossed 14,000 across 70 countries, with five deaths reported from Africa, the WHO said on Thursday.

The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that while some countries had shown a decline in cases, others were reporting fresh monkeypox cases.

Centre Issues Safety Guidelines, Advises Screening of International Passengers

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday, 18 July, advised state, airport, and port health officers to ensure health screening of all international travellers to minimise the risk of importation of the disease.

According to ANI, the Centre reviewed health actions at Points of Entry (PoEs) such as airports and ports, and sought effective coordination between state administration, Bureau of Immigration, and airport and port health offices.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had also released safety guidelines, stating that people who develop symptoms of fever with rashes should consult a healthcare facility if:

• They have come in contact with people who may have had monkeypox

• They live in areas where monkeypox has been detected.

It also advised travellers to avoid

• Close contact with sick people, especially if they have skin lesions

• Close contact with wild animals, especially rodents and primates

• Eating meat of wild animals

• Close contact with contaminated material that has been handled by sick people