THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 38-year-old man in Edavanna in Malappuram was confirmed to have mpox, said Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday. The man is under observation at Manjeri Medical College Hospital. He had returned from Dubai a week ago.
The man sought treatment for high fever with visible symptoms of blisters on his body, prompting the authorities to send his samples for confirmation. Following the confirmation, the health department released a list of hospitals with treatment and isolation facilities in the state.
Airports across the country had increased surveillance earlier following an international alert. This case comes a few days after a 26-year-old man tested positive for mpox in Delhi.
The Kerala government had issued a standard operating procedure in 2022 when the state reported the first mpox case in the country.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had directed state governments to identify and prepare hospitals within their jurisdictions to manage mpox patients. Unlike airborne diseases such as COVID-19 or H1N1 influenza, mpox is primarily transmitted through direct physical contact with an infected person, including through touch or sexual activity, according to the WHO.
Symptoms include a distinctive rash, high fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. Blisters and red spots typically appear on the body within a week of fever onset, commonly affecting the face, limbs, palms, genitals and eyes.
To prevent the spread, close contact with infected individuals should be avoided, and appropriate safety precautions must be followed. Those transporting a patient should wear a gown, N95 mask, gloves and goggles. The patient should also wear a triple-layer mask, and any wounds should be covered. Ambulances and equipment should be disinfected post-delivery and patient-related items should be disposed of.
The World Health Organization has classified mpox as a public health emergency of international concern due to its widespread prevalence, particularly in parts of Africa.
