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).
It is also the first monkeypox case in South East Asia region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement on Friday, 15 July.
Meanwhile, Kerala government on Friday stepped up vigil to prevent the spread of monkeypox, issuing special alerts to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, and Kottayam as there were co-passengers of the infected person in the Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram Indigo flight from these districts.
Health Minister Veena George said the parents of the patient, an auto driver, a taxi driver, a dermatologist of a private hospital where the infected person sought treatment first and his 11 co-passengers who were sitting next to his seats in the flight are now in the primary contact list.
"Passengers who have traveled in this flight should conduct self-monitoring and report to the health officials if they develop any symptoms of virus infection in 21 days. As the phone numbers of many are not available, they are being traced with the help of the police," George said in a statement.
Centre Issues Safety Guidelines for Monkeypox
In the wake of the first Monkeypox case being reported in India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released safety guideline on Friday. The guidelines say 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 advises 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
Till now, over 6,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported from across 60 countries since the beginning of the year, including three deaths, WHO added.
“The Region has been on alert for monkeypox. Countries have been taking measures to rapidly detect and take appropriate measures to prevent spread of monkeypox,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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