THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been identified that the 38-year-old man from Edavanna in Malappuram--who is under treatment for mpox--is infected with the Clade 1b strain of the virus, making him the first such case in the country. Top officials of the health department were tight-lipped about the test result.
A statement from Health Minister Veena George regarding the test result is expected on Tuesday. She has convened a meeting of a state-level Rapid Response Team (RRT) to assess the situation when mpox cases increase.
Clade 1b strain of the virus is more infectious than Clade 2 and it is currently behind the global outbreak.
In a statement, the minister said that updated guidelines would be released for prevention and effective treatment of mpox in the state.
“If the cases increase, it has been instructed to take appropriate action. Isolation facilities have been established in all districts. Surveillance has been strengthened, including at airports,” the statement read.
She gave directions to the officials to increase the number of testing centres from the present five, if required.
She advised those arriving in Kerala from other countries to inform the health department if they have symptoms and seek treatment.The minister also directed that the department should be informed if people are coming to government and private hospitals with symptoms of mpox.
The patient is currently receiving treatment at Manjeri Medical College Hospital after returning from Dubai a week ago. The man sought medical attention for a high fever accompanied by visible blisters, prompting authorities to send his samples for testing.
People who were in close contact are under isolation to prevent further spread of the virus, as per the protocol. He tested positive on September 18. The samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for genomic sequencing.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.