Mpox: Department of Health. Issue route map of infected patients

The District Health Department has released the route map of the Kannur resident who returned from UAE and tested positive for Mpox. District Medical Officer Dr. Piyush M. Nambuthiripad has instructed to inform the health department if symptoms develop in those who have been in contact with infected patients.

The patient reached the Kozhikode airport at 2:30 am on 13th November and reached his home at Aniyaram at 6 am in the car of his relative. On the 14th, he went to Medinova Laboratory at 11 am and two days later, he reached Tele Hospital in Thalassery at 2 pm. He reached Kannur Government Medical College Hospital in his vehicle at around 6 pm.

Mpox, a zoonotic disease initially transmitted from animals to humans, is now primarily transmitted from humans to humans. Mpox shares similar symptoms with orthopox virus infection. The disease is contagious after symptoms appear and close contact with an infected person increases the risk of transmission. People arriving from abroad should stay in isolation and notify the health department if they develop smallpox-like symptoms.

Symptoms of Mpox include fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle aches, and fatigue. Within a week of the onset of fever, blisters and red rashes usually appear on the body, usually centered on the face, hands, palms, genitals, and eyes. The disease is spread through direct face-to-face, skin-to-skin contact, sexual contact, and touching contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing. It is not airborne, but the health department has warned that the elderly, children and pregnant women who are at high risk should be especially vigilant.