India to probe first possible death from monkeypox

A 22-year-old Indian man who died in the southern state of Kerala had tested positive for monkeypox in the UAE a day before he returned home, according to health officials.

If confirmed, it could be Asia's first recorded death from the global outbreak. 

Kerala | Village members of Punnayur village panchayat in Thrissur district held a meeting to discuss the situation in the aftermath of the death of a young man who tested positive for monkeypox abroad pic.twitter.com/2tEZvwCfBD

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2022

"The youth had no symptoms of monkeypox," said Kerala's Health Minister Veena George, as quoted in The Indian Express.

"He had been admitted to a hospital with symptoms of encephalitis and fatigue. His relatives handed over the test result only on Saturday. A high-level probe would be held into the death as monkeypox has a very low fatality rate,"’ she added. 

There have been five confirmed cases of monkeypox in India, three of which are in Kerala. The patient who first exhibited signs of the disease was discharged from hospital on Saturday. 

The #monkeypox outbreak has seen more than 22,000 cases in nearly 80 countries since May. India has reported the first death in as many days from monkeypox. A 22-year-old man in Kerala's Thrissur had tested positive in the UAE. #DIU | @DipuJourno pic.twitter.com/j9wwyzMHM5

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 1, 2022

Monkeypox is a viral disease that causes fever, swellings, and a rash that spreads most commonly across the hands and feet. It usually clears up on its own in the first few weeks.

The rapid increase in the number of cases around the world however has prompted the World Health Organisation to declare it a public health emergency of international concern. There are more than 22,000 cases around the world, at least six of which have resulted in deaths.