On July 17, Kerala confirmed the second case of Monkeypox in the state as well as the country. The 31-year-old male patient who had been found infected with the disease had returned to Kannur from Dubai on July 13. In a statement, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the condition of the infected person is stable. He was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kannur, and all his primary contacts are under observation.
The first case of the disease in India was reported by Kerala on July 14. The first patient was a 35-year-old male who had returned from UAE. As soon as the case was confirmed, the Centre sent a multi-disciplinary team to collaborate with the state authorities to curb the disease. Fourteen districts have been alerted, and help desks have been set up at four airports.
What is Monkeypox?
It is a zoonotic viral disease. It has symptoms similar to smallpox. However, scientists say that the clinical severity of Monkeypox is lesser compared to smallpox. World Health Organization describes it as a self-limited disease. Its symptoms can last for up to two to four weeks. It has a fatality rate of 4-6 per cent.
How does Monkeypox spread?
It can spread in humans via close contact with the infected person or animal. It spreads through lesions, respiratory droplets, body fluids, and contaminated materials such as clothes, bedding, etc.
What are the symptoms of Monkeypox?
Common symptoms of Monkeypox include headache, fever, backache, muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, chills, and rashes. The rashes look like blisters, and they appear on the face, inside the mouth, and in other parts of the body.
It has been declared endemic in the west and central African countries, including the Central African Republic, Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Currently, the majority of cases outside the African continent are found in the European region at 86%, and the Americas reported the second largest number of patients at 11%.
