Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : August 1, 2022 10:41 AM IST
Monkeypox In India: 8-Year-Old Shows Up Symptoms In Andhra Pradesh, Experts Warn of Warning Symptoms
An 8-year-old boy in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, with symptoms of monkeypox, has been quarantined at the Government General Hospital, Guntur. Speaking to the media, hospital officials said, "It is a suspected case of monkeypox. For confirmation. We have taken samples which are being sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune and Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad for confirmation."
As of now, India has four confirmed monkeypox cases, of which three cases are from Kerala while one is from Delhi. Following this, the government has implemented several restrictions, including compulsory screening at the airport, etc.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the monkeypox virus infection a health emergency at an international level. According to the global health body, there are over 18,000 confirmed monkeypox cases reported in 78 countries. Talking about the ways countries can stop the virus, the WHO chief said, "The monkeypox outbreak can be stopped if countries, communities and individuals inform themselves, take the risks seriously, and take the steps needed to stop transmission and protect vulnerable groups."
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses that causes smallpox. The disease is endemic in regions like West and Central Africa but lately, cases have been reported from non-endemic countries too, according to the WHO.
Monkeypox is a disease which leads to flu-like symptoms. According to the experts, some of the symptoms that can show up in case a child catches the virus are:
These are some of the warning symptoms of monkeypox virus infection, there are other symptoms of the infection such as skin rashes, red blisters on the skin, sore throat, etc. According to the experts, these symptoms can appear within one to three days after fever.
(With inputs from agencies)
