Even as several states across India took measures last week to cope with a potential Monkeypox outbreak, a man in Kerala who tested positive for the disease in the UAE  died on Saturday. The Kerala government has ordered an inquiry into the issue and asked people not to panic. Twenty people have been quarantined so far. 

Thrissur village holds meet 

An emergency health meet was held in the Punnayur Village of the Thrissur district in Kerala over the man's death and to strategies for controlling the spread of the disease. 

The administration of the village reiterated that people must not panic over the death. A member of the Kerala's education and health standing committee, Renjini, told ANI that the situation was under control and that there was no need to panic. Renjini said, "The person had direct contact with only 10 people including family members and few friends. Twenty people (have been) quarantined so far." 

Also read: Monkeypox: Why Non-Discriminatory, Non-Stigmatising Name For Virus Is Needed

What happened? 

The 22-year-old man died on Saturday in Kerala's Thrissur. He had returned from UAE, where he had tested positive for the monkeypox virus. However, the state health minister of Kerala, Veena George, said on Sunday that the man had no symptoms for monkeypox and a probe had been launched to ascertain the cause of death. 

George was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, "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." 

Inquiry ordered 

The health department in Kerala held an emergency meeting over the death. The government has however warned, people not to panic because monkeypox by itself is not a fatal disease.

NDTV reported that the government has also made a route map of his travels and contact traced everyone he came in touch with. 

Monkeypox in India 

So far India has reported five monkeypox cases of which three were in Kerala, one in Delhi and one in Andhra Pradesh. Several states announced measures last week like checks at points of entry and setting up of isolation wards to cope with a potential outbreak. 

The WHO had declared it as a public health emergency in July.