Kerala  health  Minister Veena George said on Sunday that a Kerala youth who had been tested  positive for monkey pox abroad had died in Thrissur on Saturday. The 22 year old youth returned from UAE a few days back .  He is a native of Punniyoor in Thrissur, who died  in a private hospital . As per  government  a  probe would be conducted regarding the death even though a monkey pox test in UAE  confirmed as positive. “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.   To the National Institute of Virology’s Alappuzha unit in Kerala, samples have been sent by the State health department. 

                                                          The youth reached Calicut airport on  July 22 from Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE  where he was employed. “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 rest after reaching home. Until Saturday, the family was not keen on taking up the matter with the health department or the local village panchayat,” sources said. The youth’s burial was held as per government  protocol for the disease. All his primary contacts have been put under observation. Three out of four confirmed monkey pox cases in India are from Kerala. On Saturday Spain reported 2 monkey pox deaths.   In Africa, mostly in Nigeria and Congo it’s been suspected to be 75 deaths.

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