THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first Monkeypox case in the country has been reported in a situation reminiscent of the first Covid confirmation two years ago. In both instances, the viral infection was detected in symptomatic persons returning from another country where the disease had already been reported. India’s first Covid case was reported when a medical student who returned from Wuhan, China, tested positive on January 30, 2020. In the case of Monkeypox, the patient was symptomatic and he landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 12 from the UAE, which is among 63 countries that have reported the disease.
While there was scare and concern when Covid broke out, the situation is not worrisome with one case of Monkeypox and it will be contained, Health Minister Veena George said. While the infectivity and mortality due to Monkeypox are low compared to Covid, the manner in which the UAE returnee reached his home despite being symptomatic has given some reason for concern. The government has stepped up surveillance and directed port and airport officers to be vigilant and to isolate sick passengers travelling from affected countries.
It is learnt that the patient had all the tell-tale symptoms of Monkeypox when he arrived.
He managed to dodge airport surveillance and travel at a time when he was most infectious, said a source in the health department.“The patient consulted a doctor on the day of arrival. But the doctor treated him for a normal fever, as his contact history was suppressed. He however disclosed it when he consulted another doctor who promptly referred the patient to the medical college,” the source added.
The patient arrived covering his body well and hence the chances of infecting co-passengers are low, the health minister said. But close contact at home and the chances of infection in hired vehicles have put his parents and two drivers in isolation for 21 days. Meanwhile, health experts have called for increased surveillance at airports and ports for effective containment.
“People coming from all infected countries should be screened at transit points. All epidemiologically-linked symptomatic cases should be suspected of Monkeypox. They should be isolated for at least two weeks,” said Dr Althaf A, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
“The screening test can be conducted at the state labs itself. Missing a suspected case will result in the infection spreading to close contacts including family members. The morbidity and presentation of the disease (blisters on face and hands similar to smallpox) create fear,” he added.