AP: Monkeypox Symptoms Detected In 8-Yr-Old Boy In Guntur, First Patient Discharged After Testing

An 8-year-old boy in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has reported symptoms of the zoonotic disease-monkeypox, officials said on Saturday (July 30).

Dr Sumaiya Khan, the District Medical and Health officer, noted that it was a suspected case, and samples had been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune and Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad for confirmation.

Guntur Government Hospital (GGH) officials stated that further action would be taken once the reports come.

Boy Isolated & Undergoing Treatment

The boy, currently isolated in a special ward, is undergoing treatment where his health condition is reported stable. As a preventive measure, his parents have been kept under observation. Health officials say the boy's parents are daily wage workers from Odisha who came to Yedlpapdu in the Palnadu district in search of work 15 days ago, reported The New Indian Express.

However, after a week, the boy developed a fever and rashes. Though his parents initially thought it was nothing serious, the boy's condition didn't improve even after a week; they panicked and rushed him to GGH on Thursday (July 28).

The doctors examined the boy, noticed rashes and fever, both symptoms of the zoonotic disease, and shifted him to an isolated ward.

First Patient Of Monkeypox Discharged

Meanwhile, India's first monkeypox patient was discharged on Saturday (July 30) after testing negative for the viral infection, said Kerala's health minister Veena George, reported the Economic Times.

George said he is free of all symptoms, including skin bumps and will be discharged today. The test results of his family members, who were on the primary contact list with him, also came negative.

The patient was a 35-years-old man hailing from Kollam city in Kerala who tested positive for the zoonotic disease on July 14 after returning from UAE. Being the first case of monkeypox in the country, the tests were conducted twice at an interval of 72 hours as per the instructions of the National Institute of Virology (NIV).

He was treated at a Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram and was declared physically and mentally healthy after all the samples were negative.

The minister said the health condition of two other persons in Kerala, who had also tested positive for the infection, remains satisfactory. She added the prevention and surveillance measures would continue with the same vigour.

Also Read: Ace Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu Sets Another Record, Wins First Yellow Medal At CWG 2022