Air passenger with suspected mpox symptoms isolated at Tiruchi govt. hospital

Mpox awareness banners at Anna International Terminal, Chennai Airport. File photo
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

An air passenger, who is in his thirties, has been admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu, with suspected symptoms of mpox, a viral disease.

The patient, a professional from Tiruvarur district working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had flown in from Sharjah to the city. He was reportedly placed under isolation at the Tiruchi International Airport after he showed symptoms of mpox on Thursday (October 31, 2024), and was subsequently admitted to MGMGH.

When contacted, a senior hospital official told The Hindu that the patient’s blood sample has been sent for further testing. “We are waiting for the results. Until then, the patient will be kept under observation at the Tiruchi GH,” the official said.

Mpox is a zoonosis, a disease that is transmitted from infected animals to humans. Symptoms include painful rashes, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.