With two confirmed cases of monkeypox, Centre orders international travellers be thoroughly screened
19 July, 2022 | Riya Girdhar
On July 13, the patient arrived in Mangalore from Dubai.
A 31-year-old man from Kannur in Kerala tested positive for monkeypox on Monday, making him the country’s second confirmed case, according to a Union health ministry official.
On July 13, the patient arrived at Mangalore airport in coastal Karnataka from Dubai. He was admitted to the hospital after exhibiting disease symptoms. According to the official, his samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, the health ministry reviewed the status of equipment for screening international travellers arriving in India at airports and ports today. Airport and port health officers, as well as regional directors from regional health and family welfare offices, attended the meeting. They were advised to conduct strict health screening on all arriving international visitors in order to reduce the risk of monkeypox cases being imported.
The officials were also instructed to strictly adhere to previously issued guidelines for the management of monkeypox disease.
They were advised to collaborate with all stakeholder agencies, such as immigration at international ports and airports, to streamline health screening processes, as well as to ensure appropriate linkages with hospital facilities designated to each port of entry for timely referral and isolation. Senior officials from the International Health Division and the Disaster Management Cell attended the meeting.
The Union Health Ministry dispatched a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Kerala last week to assist state health authorities in implementing public health measures following the discovery of the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the Kollam district on Thursday.