On 12 July Kerala confirmed the first Monkeypox case in India. The Centre on on July 14 rushed a high-level, multi-disciplinary team to Kerala to collaborate with the state health authorities and institute public health measures after one case of monkeypox was confirmed in Kollam district of this southern state.
- Monkeypox has been detected in 63 countries. Now, it has reached India in Kerala on July 12 with a passenger who returned from the United Arab Emirates.
- Monkeypox symptoms are like smallpox and chickenpox. At the onset, patients will have fever and enlargement of lymph nodes.
- After 1-5 days the patient may report rashes on the face, palms or soles. They may have rashes in the cornea leading to blindness.
About Monkeypox
- Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.
- Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal.
- Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.
- Monkeypox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
- Despite being named “monkeypox,” the source of the disease remains unknown.
- However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) might harbor the virus and infect people.
- The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.
- It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks, WHO said.
- Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.
- The overwhelming majority of those affected are men who have sex with men (MSM).
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