HUBBALLI: In the wake of a suspected monkeypox case, which however turned out to be negative, strict screening of foreigners has begun in Mundgod of Uttara Kannada district. Many foreigners keep visiting the Tibetan Camp in Mundgod regularly and therefore new visitors from foreign countries are being strictly monitored.
A nine-year-old Tibetan boy at Mundgod developed suspected monkeypox-like symptoms and was admitted to a private hospital in Hubballi. His blood sample was sent to the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute two days ago. The report tested negative for the new viral disease.
The suspected incident caused anxiety in both Dharwad and Uttara Kannada districts. However, the result turned out negative. The child came to India with his parents from Belgium on July 1. It is said he completed 21 days of home isolation and travelled to Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and then to Mundgod monastery.
Soon after he developed monkeypox symptoms, he was brought to a private hospital for treatment, where he was isolated in the same hospital under the direction of the Dharwad district administration and health department. Dharwad district, which is equipped to handle the new viral disease, has already set up six isolation wards at District Hospital in Dharwad and KIMS Hospital in Hubballi.
The medical staff were also given training to handle such cases and there are enough suppies to treat such patients. Dharwad DC Gurudatta Hegde said: “Soon after the admission of the suspected monkeypox case, we quickly tracked the travel history and other information of the patient and were in touch with the Uttara Kannada administration.”