Kannur: Kerala on Monday reported a second case of monkeypox. A 31-year-old man who arrived on July 13, has tested positive for monkeypox, state Health Minister Veena George said. He landed at the Mangalore airport in Karnataka from Dubai. This is the second case of monkeypox in the state as well as the country.

The state Health Minister added that the infected person, who is a native of Kannur, is undergoing treatment at the Pariyaram Medical College here and his health condition is stable.

According to a Union health ministry official, Kannur resident was admitted to a hospital after he exhibited symptoms of the disease. His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and they tested positive for the virus.

On July 14, Kerala state reported India’s first monkeypox case in Kollam district after a 35-year-old man, who returned from UAE had been diagnosed with the infection prompting the Union health ministry to send a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Kerala to assist the state health authorities in instituting public health measures .

“In view of the report of confirmation of a case of monkeypox disease from Kollam district in Kerala, the health ministry has decided to depute a multi-disciplinary central team to support the state government of Kerala in investigating the outbreak and institute requisite public health measures,” an official memorandum by the health ministry last week read.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh: Suspected Monkeypox Patient Tests Negative

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity. According to the World Health Organization, it is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two-four weeks.