India on Wednesday reported the second monkeypox (Mpox) virus from a man who had recently returned to Kerala from the UAE, Kerala Health Minister Veena George informed. The man showed symptoms of the disease after which a sample was taken and sent for testing. George had on Tuesday said that the man on noticing the symptoms had taken precautionary measures by isolating himself from his family and was currently hospitalised in the Manjeri Medical College.
The minister appealed to the public, including those returning from abroad with any symptoms, to inform the health department and seek treatment at the earliest. In a social media post, she also released a list of state-run hospitals in various districts where treatment and isolation facilities for the affected persons have been arranged. Besides this, treatment was available in all medical colleges in the state, the minister said. Urging people to be vigilant, George said the state health department has already stepped up surveillance in airports in the state in accordance with the Centre's guidelines in the wake of the outbreak of Mpox in many African countries.
Those arriving from the nations where the infection was reported, have been instructed to report at the airport if they develop any symptoms, she said. George also cautioned people, especially health workers who handle the samples of the affected persons, to strictly follow infection control precautions.After the Mpox was reported last week from the national capital, the Union Health Ministry had termed it an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards and said that it was not part of the current public health emergency reported by WHO which is regarding clade 1 of mpox.