Kerala reports another case of monkeypox; India's tally rises to 3

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has registered India's third case of monkeypox, Health Minister Veena George said on Friday. George informed that the infected person is a resident of Malappuram who arrived in the southern state on July 6 and started showing symptoms of fever and spots from July 13. He was admitted to Manjeri Medical College and is currently undergoing treatment there.

The patient's condition is stable and all those who were in close contact with the patient are being closely monitored.

The first monkey case in India was recorded in the Kerala's Kollam on July 14, after a man who arrived from the UAE tested positive, while the second one was reported after a 31-year-old man, who had returned from Dubai and was under treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College hospital at Kannur, tested positive for the disease.

Taking note of the monkeypox cases in India, the Centre on July 18 reviewed Points of Entry (PoEs) Health actions at international airports and ports in the country.

The central government directed the state, airport and port health officers advised to ensure strict health screening of all international travellers to minimise risk of importation of monkeypox disease. They were advised to coordinate with other stakeholder agencies like Immigration at international ports and airports to streamline health screening processes besides ensuring suitable linkages with hospital facilities earmarked to each port of entry for timely referral and isolation.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus that causes a disease with symptoms similar, but less severe, to smallpox. Monkeypox is a zoonosis: a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. It can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects, the world health body has said.

Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and nature of complications. The extent to which asymptomatic infection occurs is unknown. The case fatality ratio of monkeypox has historically ranged from 0 to 11 per cent in the general population and has been higher among young children, as per the guidelines issued by the Union health ministry.