New Delhi, August 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):A Kerala youth who had tested positive for monkeypox died, Indian media quoting state Health Minister Veena George as having confirmed. The 22-year-old youth, a native of Punniyoor in Thrissur, died at a private hospital in Thrissur. The government said that while the results of the test done confirmed the presence of the monkeypox virus, a probe would be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.

“The youth had no symptoms of monkeypox. 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,’’ said the minister, as per the report.

The state health department has sent his samples to the National Institute of Virology’s Alappuzha unit in Kerala. The youth, who was employed at Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE, reached Kozhikode airport in Kerala on 22 July.

“He had been active after reaching home. He played football at a local ground. On July 26, he developed a fever and sought treatment at a local hospital, Later, he was shifted to another hospital, where he was put on life support. He said he had got tested in the UAE before boarding the flight to Kerala. After his death, we came to know that he was told to take a rest after reaching home,” the Indian Express reported. India has so far four confirmed monkeypox cases, three of them in Kerala. The patient who had the first reported case was discharged from the hospital on Saturday.

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