The Kerala state’s health ministry has confirmed that a 22-year-old man has monkeypox after conducting tests on him.
The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency after three monkeypox-related deaths were confirmed outside of Africa.
Around a week after his return from the UAE and admission to the hospital in Kerala, India, the man died on July 30.
However, it was not obvious whether the fatality was caused by monkeypox.
“There were no symptoms of monkeypox in the youngster.” Kerala’s health minister Veena George was cited as stating on Sunday that he had been brought to a hospital with signs of encephalitis and fatigue.
“No one is to blame for the disease.” There is “no need to worry,” the ministry added, urging anyone who are experiencing symptoms to contact the health department.
A total of twenty persons, including family members, friends who had played football with the guy, and medical professionals, were being monitored for signs of infection, she said.
18,000 cases
Since the beginning of May, the WHO has recorded more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox outside of Africa, with the majority occurring in Europe.
Two monkeypox-related fatalities were reported in Spain last week, while one was reported in Brazil.
Autopsies are ongoing in Spain and Brazil, respectively, as to whether monkeypox was responsible for the deaths of the three people who died from the disease.
Further fatalities from monkeypox are likely, according to the WHO’s European division, which released a statement on Saturday.
According to Catherine Smallwood, the WHO Europe’s Senior Emergency Officer, “With the continuous spread of monkeypox throughout Europe, we anticipate more fatalities.”
There has to be a focus on “halting this epidemic and blocking transmission across Europe,” she added.
While the risk of mortality from monkeypox outside of Africa “remains low… these findings emphasize the need to roll out vaccine as quickly as possible to those individuals who are most at risk,” said Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom.
