India’s 1st Monkeypox Death Confirmed, Victim Was 22-Year-Old Kerala Man Who Visited UAE

Mumbai: Kerala health department has confirmed that the 22-year-old man who died on Saturday had succumbed to monkeypox. The confirmation came from the National Institute of Virology in Pune, making it India’s first confirmed monkeypox death.

This will be India’s first monkeypox death and fourth outside Africa. The 22-year-old victim, a native of Punniyur in Thrissur, died in a private hospital a few days after returning from the UAE, following which the health department sent his samples to the Kerala unit of the National Institute of Virology in Alappuzha.

The man was diagnosed with monkeypox in a test conducted abroad, but his family members submitted the test results to the hospital authorities on Saturday itself.

“A high-level inquiry will be conducted into the death of a person with symptoms of monkeypox in Chavakkad Kuranjiyur. The result of the test conducted abroad was positive. He sought treatment in Thrissur,” said Kerala Health Minister Veena George.

“Delay in seeking treatment will be investigated. The health department called a meeting in Punnayur regarding the death of a young man due to monkeypox. A contact list and route map of the deceased youth were prepared,” added the Kerala Health Minister.

India has so far confirmed four cases of monkeypox, of which three are in Kerala. Saturday’s death will be the country’s first death due to infection.

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