The second positive case of monkeypox in Kerala was found in Kannur district on Monday, 18 July, the State Health Ministry said.
"The 31-year-old man from Kannur is currently undergoing treatment at Pariyaram Medical College. The patient's health condition is reported to be satisfactory. Those in close contact with him have been put under surveillance," news agency ANI quoted Kerala Health Minister Veena George as saying.
The patient had arrived at the Mangalore Airport from Dubai on 13 July, and subsequently admitted to the hospital after he exhibited symptoms of the disease.
National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune studied his samples, confirming the second case of monkeypox in the country.
Last week, after the detection of the first case of the virus, the Union Health Ministry had rushed a high-level, multidisciplinary team to Kerala to collaborate with the state health authorities.
Earlier on 14 July, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had issued directives on dealing with monkeypox cases to states and Union Territories, which included adequate contact tracing, deploying surveillance teams, and screening and testing suspect cases.
More About Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a virus that causes smallpox-like skin lesions, but symptoms are usually milder than those of smallpox. Flu-like symptoms are common initially, ranging from fever and headache to shortness of breath.
Although monkeypox is rare and usually non-fatal, the Congo strain reportedly causes death in up to 10 percent of the patients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in a statement on 6 July, said that monkeypox has begun spreading through local transmission for the first time in newly affected countries with no travel histories to West or Central Africa, where monkeypox is endemic.
However, the organisation has not declared this a pandemic or a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
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