Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)
Mangaluru, Jul 18: The Dakshina Kannada district administration has sounded an alert as a youth who went to Kerala via Mangaluru airport has been found to be infected with the monkeypox disease.
The 31-year-old youth had arrived at Mangaluru from Dubai on July 13. He had undergone medical tests at Periyaram Medical college, Kannur on suspicion. The doctors who examined him have detected that he was infected with monkeypox. His companion in Dubai had got himself admitted for treatment as the disease was confirmed in him.
The blood samples of the youth have been sent by the doctors to Pune Virology centre where the youth was found to be positive for the disease. It is the second case of monkeypox detected in Kerala. The first case was registered at Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile 35 people who were in direct contact with him have been advised to remain isolated. The doctors have suggested the airport officials and the passengers who had travelled with him to remain isolated and be under observation.
There were 191 passengers in the flight in which the youth had arrived. Out of them 15 passengers are from Dakshina Kannada, six from Udupi district, 13 from Kasargod, one from Kannur and the immigration department officer in the Mangaluru airport have been directed by the Dakshina Kannada district health department to remain in isolation.
Meanwhile, a separate isolation ward for the treatment of suspected monkey pox infected patients was opened at the Wenlock hospital about a month ago. Passengers arriving from foreign countries are being observed. Strict observation is arranged in the airport for them, said district Covid nodal officer Dr Ashok.