Thiruvananthapuram, August 5 (BPNS)
The second monkeypox virus (MPV) case reported in the nation from Kerala on July 18 got recovered. Briefing the same, health minister Veena George said that the 31-year-old will get discharged on Saturday. He was undergoing treatment at the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH). With this, of the five MPV cases reported so far from the state, two got recovered, while one succumbed. The second case was returned from Dubai on July 13 and was admitted to the GMCH on July 16.
“He is physically and mentally fit. His samples came as negative. Those who came as primary contacts of him including family members didn’t show any signs of MPV,” said Veena.
At the same time, a genomic sequencing study published by two researchers of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) highlighted that the first two cases reported in the state are not possibly linked to the European superspreader events. They also added that ‘they might be looking at a distinct cluster of human-human transmission and possibly unrecognized for years.’
“Kerala’s first two cases belong to the A2 cluster in contrast to the majority of the genomes across the world which belong to the B1 cluster,” said Vinod Scaria of IGIB.
The study highlighted that the A2 cluster could have been found in the men-who-have-sex-with-men networks but wouldn’t have spread as widely as the B.1 lineage due to the absence of any super spreader events. The study also said that genomic surveillance is invaluable in outbreaks.
Earlier this week the union government formed a task force on monkeypox to closely monitor the emerging situation in India and decide on response initiatives to tackle the spread of the disease. The task force will be headed by VK Paul, NITI Aayog member (health). The health ministry also asked the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to work on a targeted communication strategy to promote timely reporting, detection of cases, and management of patients.
On July 23, the World Health Organisation declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern.
