After the death of a 22-year-old Kerala man due to monkeypox, the Indian government reached out to authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to know how the man could board a flight to India despite having declared positive for the infection. This was the first death linked to monkeypox infection in India.

An official stated that representatives from the health ministry have reached out to the UAE to determine why the man was allowed to travel despite having tested positive for monkeypox. The official added that people are being informed about the infection by the ministry, yet the patient did not report to the nearest health facility on reaching India. The person sought medical help after five days when his symptoms worsened.

Dr. Veena George, Health Minister of Kerala, stated that the person did not show any typical symptoms of the infection even after he tested positive for the infection. Hence, a high-level probe will be conducted to determine the cause of death. So far, six cases of monkeypox have been reported in India. The center has also set up a task force to monitor the monkeypox situation in India. The task force will be headed by Dr. VK Paul, NITI Aayog, and includes the Union Health Secretary, Dr. Rajesh Bhushan, along with other senior members of the health ministry.