Kannur: A 26-year-old who returned from Abu Dhabi tested positive for Mpox on Monday. The Wayanad native was admitted to the Medical College Hospital in Pariyaram with Mpox symptoms. Hospital authorities said his health condition was satisfactory.

Another youth from Thalassery, who returned from Dubai with Mpox symptoms, was admitted to the Pariyaram MCH on Sunday evening. His sample has been sent for testing.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the mpox virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it primarily occurs in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally detected in other regions. 

Mpox typically presents with a fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to various medical complications. The rash often starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body.

The virus can spread from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals. Human-to-human transmission can occur through respiratory droplets, direct contact with infected bodily fluids or lesions, and indirectly through contaminated materials.