India‍‍`s first monkeypox case reported in Kerala

India has reported the first monkeypox case with a traveller from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who arrived in Kerala three days ago testing positive for the viral disease, confirmed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

Union health ministry sent a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Kerala to collaborate with the state health authorities in instituting public health measures in view of the confirmed case of monkeypox in Kollam district of Kerala.

The Central team to Kerala comprised experts drawn from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi and senior officials from the ministry of health and family welfare along with experts from the regional office of health and family welfare, Kerala.

The team shall work closely with the state health departments and take stock of the on-ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions. The Centre is taking proactive steps by monitoring the situation carefully and coordinating with states in case of any such possibility of an outbreak occurs, said the ministry of health.

"No need to panic as the centre has given fresh directions to all the states and union territories regarding monkeypox. It spreads through close contact with lesions, body fluids, prolonged contact with Respiratory Droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding," official sources told ANI.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George said, "A Monkeypox positive case has been reported. He is a traveller from UAE. He reached the state on 12 July. He reached Trivandrum airport and all the steps are being taken as per the guidelines issued by WHO and ICMR."

Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday wrote a letter to all the states and union territories, reiterating some of the key actions that are required to contain the spread of the disease.

Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan cited the letter sent by the ministry on 31 May in which it had issued a comprehensive ‍‍`Guidelines for Management of Monkeypox Disease‍‍`.