One case of monkeypox infection confirmed in Kerala: State health minister

'The patient is a traveller from UAE. He reached the state on July 12 at Trivandrum airport,' says Veena George

A person who returned to Kerala from abroad and was hospitalised after showing signs of monkeypox tested positive for the same, state Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday. A high level multi-disciplinary team from Centre will be rushed to Kerala for supporting the state in public health interventions and investigating the monkeypox outbreak.

Earlier in the day, the minister told reporters that his samples of the symptomatic person have been collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology for testing.

George said that the person showed symptoms of monkeypox and he was in close contact with a monkeypox patient abroad.

In the evening, she confirmed that he tested positive for the virus.

"A Monkeypox positive case has been reported. He is a traveller from UAE. He reached the state on July 12 at Trivandrum airport and all the steps are being taken as per the guidelines issued by WHO and ICMR," said  Veena George.

It is the first case of the virus in Kerala.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.