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Published 12:50 IST, January 24th 2025

Karnataka Reports 1st Case of Mpox This Year in Bengaluru; 40-Year-Old Man Tests Positive

A 40-year-old man from Karkala in Udupi district, who recently traveled to Dubai, has tested positive for Mpox.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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Bengaluru: A 40-year-old man from Karkala in Udupi district, who recently traveled to Dubai, has tested positive for Mpox . This marks the first reported case of Mpox in Karnataka this year. According to reports, the patient has been admitted to Victoria Hospital and is undergoing treatment.

“A case of Monkeypox (Mpox) has been confirmed on January 22, 2025, by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, in a 40-year-old male in Mangalore, a native of Karkala (Udupi district),” the health department confirmed in a statement.

Health officials stated that the patient, who has been residing in Dubai for the past 19 years, arrived in Mangalore on January 17. He was isolated after developing symptoms such as rashes and fever.

Authorities confirmed that his condition is stable and that he does not have any serious complications. He is likely to be discharged soon.

Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Karnataka, stated, “Mpox is a mild viral disease. It is self-limiting, and there is no cause for concern. Mpox spreads through very close and intimate contact. The infectivity of the disease is not as severe as that of Covid.”

Precautionary Measures

Primary contacts of the patient have been traced, including his wife, who accompanied him from the airport to the hospital. All contacts have been instructed to maintain self-isolation as a precautionary measure.

The health department has advised the public not to panic given the mild nature of the disease and its lower infectivity compared to other viral illnesses. However, people are urged to watch for common symptoms such as skin rashes, fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, sweating, sore throat, and cough.

The advisory further states that individuals with a travel history to high-risk countries or those who have been in very close contact with Mpox-infected individuals should get tested immediately if symptoms appear.

Although a vaccine for Mpox exists, it is generally recommended only for high-risk populations, such as healthcare workers. However, the Government of India has not currently advised vaccination due to the low number of Mpox cases detected in the country so far.

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Updated 13:56 IST, January 24th 2025