Thiruvananthapuram

India has reported the first monkeypox case with a traveller from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who arrived in Kerala three days ago testing positive for the viral disease on Friday.

The Union Health Ministry rushed a high-level team to Kerala to collaborate with the state health authorities in instituting public health measures in view of the case.

The team shall work closely with the State Health Departments and take stock of the on-ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions.

The Centre is taking proactive steps by monitoring the situation carefully and coordinating with states in case of any such possibility of an outbreak occurs.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.

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It is usually a self-limited disease with symptoms lasting from two to four weeks.