The second case of monkeypox disease in the country was confirmed in Kerala today. The person had arrived in Kerela's Kannur five days back from Dubai. The 31-year-old man is said to be in stable condition. He is admitted to the Periyar Medical College in Kannur.Notably, the first case of monkeypox in the country was reported in Kerala on July 13. The traveller had arrived in the state from United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was admitted to the hospital after witnessing monkeypox-like symptoms.
The Kerala government has stepped up vigil to prevent spread of monkeypox, issuing special alerts to five districts, a day after the southern state reported the country's first case of the rare virus infection. After chairing a high-level meeting, Health Minister Veena George had earlier said special alert has been issued to five districts as people from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam were co-passengers of the infected person in the Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram Indigo flight that landed on 12 July.The Minister said the Health Department is also observing those with chicken pox or similar symptoms in order to ensure that they do not have monkeypox. he said random samples would be tested to ascertain whether anyone else was infected. "The surveillance at the airport will be intensified. As part of it, the Health Department will hold discussions with the airport authorities. If anyone found with symptoms, steps will be taken to isolate them and ambulances have been arranged to shift them to hospitals," Minister said in a release.