Several experts have stated that encephalitis is a possible complication of monkeypox, but co-infections with other diseases as well as immunity levels can play a vital role in the deaths caused by the virus. In the case of the 22-year-old man who died in Kerala after testing positive in the UAE, the officials noted the reason for death as brain encephalitis. Encephalitis is a rare but possible complication of monkeypox, according to Dr. Dipu TS, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amrita Hospital in Kochi. He also added that coinfections with other viruses which can cause encephalitis like Japanese encephalitis, Nipah, and herpes have to be ruled out before pointing toward monkeypox infection.

Genomic sequencing data has suggested that the West African clade, known to be associated with milder disease and a lower-case fatality rate, is responsible for the current outbreak. Although the monkeypox disease is self-limiting in nature, as evident in the current outbreak, experts have noted that the small number of deaths may not provide sufficient data to prove that encephalitis is the main cause of the disease.

As per data from the UK, about 60 to 70% of monkeypox cases had co-infection with HIV. Dr. Amitav Banerjee, an epidemiologist, noted that more detailed data on people who developed encephalitis, the immune status of that person, etc., are needed to jump to an irrefutable conclusion. He added that the disease spread is currently a concern for high-risk groups or clusters of people with multiple sex partners as the transmission pattern is like HIV. He further added that the risk of infection in the general population is very low. He stated that infectious diseases should not be a cause for panic or stigma as there is "almost zero mortality in the healthy population". 

(Source: https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=985885 )