A case of Mpox has been confirmed in a 38-year-old man in Kerala’s Malappuram, health officials said on Wednesday. The patient, who recently returned from Dubai, exhibited symptoms of the disease and was admitted to the Government Medical College hospital in Malappuram. His samples were sent for testing, which subsequently confirmed the Mpox infection.
A district health official said that the patient arrived in Kerala a few days ago and, after falling sick, was first admitted to a private hospital. Mpox, a viral illness related to smallpox, is characterised by skin rashes, fever, and flu-like symptoms. It spreads through close skin-to-skin contact and can be self-limiting, though in some cases, it can be fatal.
Kerala has been on alert for Mpox since August following the World Health Organization’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The state had previously reported cases of the disease in 2022.
