Kerala: State Health Minister Veena George on Monday confirmed that the test reports of a 22-year-old person with monkeypox symptoms who died on July 30 were found to be positive for monkeypox.
The youth hailed from Chavakkad Kuranjiyur in Thrissur district tested positive in UAE and died in Kerala on July 30.
“On the evening of July 26 he developed abnormal jerking and he had fever too. On July 27 he was admitted; on July 28 he was moved to the ventilator. On July 30 the hospital authorities informed the Health Department that he got tested on July 19 for monkeypox in UAE, which was positive. Our team went there, unfortunately, that person died in the evening. As per our procedure, we had sent the samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV) Alappuzha, and test results show that he was positive for monkeypox,” said George.
“We constituted a state-level team including state medical board members to enquire what has happened. And the genomic sequencing of sample is being done at NIV,” she added.
He was also treated for Encephalitis and altered seizures and other diseases and he was given antibiotics.
Currently, 20 high-risk contacts are under observation which includes three health workers, a doctor, and two nursing staff from the private hospital.
(With Agency Inputs)