Kerala reported India’s second case of monkeypox from Kannur district, Health Minister Veena George said on Monday.

Besides, Union Health Ministry and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also confirmed the case.

As per Kerala Health minister’s office, a 31-year-old male has been infected with the virus. He is undergoing treatment in Pariyaram Medical College Kannur.

“One more monkeypox confirmed in Kerala. The 31 year old man from Kannur is currently undergoing treatment at Pariyaram Medical College. The patient’s health condition is reported to be satisfactory,” said Kerala Health Minister Veena George.

She added that a 31-year-old man, who had arrived from Dubai was under treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College hospital at Kannur, has turned positive for the disease.

George said that the patient’s condition is fine and he is under close medical observation. All those who came in close contact with him has been isolated.

The multidisciplinary central team of officials has been already deployed by the Union Health Ministry and those in close contact with him have been put under surveillance, the minister added.

Earlier on July 14 India had reported the first Monkeypox case of a UAE traveller from Kerala.

The Union Health Ministry on Friday had released new guidelines for the management of the Monkey pox disease in which it listed out points for the general masses to avoid the contradiction of the disease.

Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has asked all the states and union territories to take key actions like orientation and regular re-orientation of all key stakeholders including health screening teams at points of entries (PoEs).

Besides, he has also instructed to deploy disease surveillance teams, doctors working in hospitals about common signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, case definitions for suspect/probable/confirmed cases and contacts, contact tracing and other surveillance activities that need to be undertaken following detection of a case, testing, IPC protocols, clinical management etc.

He further asked to screen and test all suspect cases at points of entry and in the community.

According to WHO South East Asia regional director the region has been on alert for Monkeypox.

“The Region has been on alert for monkeypox. Countries have been taking measures to rapidly detect and take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of monkeypox,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.

“WHO has been supporting Member countries in the Region assess the risk for monkeypox and strengthen their capacities to prepare and respond to the evolving multi-country outbreak,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)