Monkeypox: Kerala confirms India's first death and isolates 20 contacts

India has confirmed its first death caused by monkeypox in the southern state of Kerala, BBC reported.

A 22-year-old man, who had recently travelled to the state from the United Arab Emirates, died on Saturday.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the man had initially tested positive for the virus abroad. Samples tested after his death also detected the virus, she said on Monday. 

This is the fourth monkeypox death reported globally, outside of Africa.

Monday also saw health authorities in Ghana confirm the West African nation's first death from the virus in the current outbreak.

The infected person was a military officer who died three days after reporting to a hospital in the north-east of the country. He had a fever and a skin rash, but no further details were available.

Thirteen people who are believed to have come into contact with the man who died are in isolation and are currently being monitored. 

Ghana has so far recorded more than 30 cases of the virus in seven regions of the country.

The illness is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the same family of viruses as smallpox, although it is much less severe and experts say chances of infection are low.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency last month, according to BBC.

Following the man's death in Kerala, the Indian state's government formed a high-level committee to look into his medical reports, Ms George said. 

The young man had developed fever and had swollen lymph nodes when he was admitted to a private hospital on 27 July, Ms George told the news website The NewsMinute on Sunday.

He, however, had no rashes on his body and the doctors saw no reason to suspect that he had monkeypox, she said.

The man had tested positive for the virus in the UAE on 19 July, days before he left for Kerala, but his family informed health officials only on 30 July, the minister said on Monday. 

His condition, however, quickly deteriorated in the hospital and he was on ventilator support before he died, she added.

His samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology which confirmed monkeypox on Monday, she said.

Authorities will now investigate why the man had delayed seeking medical help.

Twenty close contacts of the man have been categorised as "high risk" and isolated, the minister told reporters. These include his friends, family and nine people he recently played football with, BBC reported.

Passengers who were on the flight with him from UAE to Kerala have also been contacted. There is, however, no cause for concern yet since they were not in close contact with him, Ms George said.

India has reported four cases of monkeypox so far - three in Kerala and one in the capital, Delhi.

The first patient, who tested positive on 14 July, was treated in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum). He has since recovered and been discharged, Ms George said on Saturday.

 

1 killed, 1 injured as truck hits bike in Mahottari

A person died and another was injured when a truck hit a motorbike they were riding on at Surtibikaschowk in Gaushala Municipality-1 of Mahottari on Wednesday.

Haridev Sahani (28) of Rajkhor, Gaushala Municipality-4 died when the truck (Na 4 Kha 3331) hit the two-wheeler.

Police said that the incident occurred when Sahani was going to drop his son Dilip to the school.

Critically injured in the incident, he was taken to the Provincial Hospital in Janakpur but breathed his last on the way, the Area Police Office, Gaushala said.

Police said that Dilip was injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment in Bardibas.

Inspector Ranaj Mishra said that they have impounded the truck and arrested its driver for investigation.

Police said that they are looking into the case.

 

Four injured as suspicious object explodes while picking jimbu in Mustang

Four persons were injured when a suspicious object exploded while picking jimbu (a dried herb) at Tetang in Muktichettra Rural Municipality-3 of Mustang district on Tuesday.

The District Administration Office, Mustang said that the incident occurred at around 5 pm yesterday.

The injured have been identified as Res Rokka Magar (23), Tika Buda Magar (19), Tejendra Roka Magar (25) and Dilip Roka Magar (25).

Chief District Officer of Mustang Netra Prasad Sharma said that the injured have been referred to Pokhara for further treatment from Jomsom Hospital.

They are said to be in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the District Police Office, Mustang said that a team of the Area Police Office, Chusanga under the leadership of Sub-Inspector Padam Rana has headed towards the incident site for investigation.

 

Hundreds of families displaced as Koshi river gushes into human settlements (In pictures)

Hundreds of families of Baraha Municipality of Sunsari and Belka Municipality of Udayapur have been displaced after the Saptakoshi river gushed into human settlements following incessant rainfall.

The floodwaters of Koshi river gushed into the human settlements and arable land of Sri Lanka Island from Dumribot after India did not open all the gates of Koshi Barrage.

Locals of Barahachettra of Sunsari and Belka Municipality of Udayapur have been terrorized after the Koshi river changed the direction.

Badri Rai of Sri Lanka Island of Barahachettra Municipality-6 said that the Koshi river changed the direction towards west after 39 years as India did not open the doors of Koshi Barrage.

He was of the opinion that the Koshi will cause a huge damage if it is not controlled immediately.

Local Bikram Pandey said that the locals have started going to safer places after the flood water entered Sri Lanka Island.

Hundred houses are at high risk of floods after the Koshi river entered the Sri Lanka Island via Dumribot, Sisaulighat, Dhauri Island and Chilime.

The local administration has been facing difficulties to control the floods though it has mobilized Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel, Chief District Officer of Sunsari Indra Des Yadav said.

Ramesh Karki, Mayor of Barahachettra Municipality of Sunsari, said that hundreds of families have been displaced after the Koshi changed the direction towards the west.