Suspected monkeypox death in Kerala: Virology lab report awaited

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a 22-year-old youth who reached Palakkad district of Kerala from a middle eastern country died on Sunday, the state health department has asked the district health officials to create a route map of his trip ever since he had landed in his hometown.

Sources in the health department told IANS that they were waiting for the report from the virology lab at Alappuzha to confirm the disease. If found positive, the swab samples would be sent to National Virology Lab, Pune for further testing. The state health minister's office will announce the result of the lab test.

The health department has also called upon those with whom he was in touch after his arrival in India from a middle eastern country to isolate and monitor them.

The sources said that the youth after reaching home on July 22 had played football along with his friends, and so all of them have been asked to go in isolation after the youth was detected with the disease.