New Delhi: In a first in India, a Kerala man who returned from UAE three days ago from UAE showed Monkeypox symptoms and is hospitalised, said state Health Minister Veena George on Thursday. The sample has been sent to the NIV Pune and the results are likely to come later in the day, she added.
"No cause for any worry at all as things are all under control. We will now wait for the test result to come," said the Kerala health minister.
While the global tally of Monkeypox cases stand at over 8,200 cases recorded in 57 countries, this could be the first case in India, if the man, who was in close contact with a person tested positive for the viral zoonotic disease.
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In the month of May, Union Health Ministry issued the first set of guidelines to states and Union Territories on the management of Monkeypox disease. The health ministry emphasised on tight surveillance and rapid identification of new cases. The ministry, in the guidelines, directed the authorities to reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission.
The government further directed the district surveillance units to initiate a detailed investigation through the Integrated District Surveillance Programme for people identified with Monkeypox symptoms.
Monkeypox has been reported as endemic in African countries like Cameroon, Central African Republic, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo and other western African nations. Meanwhile, nations like the US, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Israel and Austria have recorded Monkeypox cases which come under non-endemic countries.