Kerala’s health department confirmed another Mpox case on Friday, urging individuals showing symptoms to seek immediate medical care. Earlier this week, the state reported India’s first case of the newly detected Mpox strain.
Following the new case, a high-level evaluation meeting was held to assess the situation, according to a statement by the health department. State Health Minister Veena George revealed that contact tracing for the patient has been completed, and precautionary measures are in place.
She urged all individuals returning to Kerala from abroad to report any symptoms to the health department and seek treatment. “Isolation facilities have been arranged in all the districts,” the minister said in a statement, PTI reported.
On September 23, the health department announced plans to release updated guidelines for the prevention and treatment of Mpox. The minister also instructed officials to prepare for a potential rise in cases.
Earlier, official sources reported that the Clade 1b strain of Mpox was detected in a 38-year-old man from Malappuram district who recently returned from the UAE.
Since the World Health Organization’s 2022 declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, India has recorded 30 cases. Mpox, typically marked by fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, is usually self-limiting, with patients recovering within two to four weeks. The virus spreads through prolonged close contact with an infected individual.
