Tiruchi man with mpox symptoms: Sample has returned negative, says Tamil Nadu Health Minister

Health Minister confirms 27-year-old man in Tiruchi tests negative for mpox, sent to NIV for reconfirmation.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian on Saturday (November 2, 2024) said that the 27-year-old man, who was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi for suspected symptoms of mpox, has tested negative for mpox. His sample was tested at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine in Guindy, which is among the designated laboratories for mpox testing and has been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for reconfirmation.

The man, who had returned from Sharjah on Thursday noon, was found to have fever during screening on arriving at the Tiruchi airport. Doctors, who had screened him at the airport’s isolation ward, found blisters on his skin after which he was admitted to MGMGH. However, fearing treatment, the man had left the hospital and went home. With the help of police, he was brought back to the hospital.

“Samples were lifted and sent for testing to the King Institute of Preventive Medicine in Chennai. We got the result on Friday, and the sample is negative for mpox. He has been infected with chickenpox. We have sent the sample to NIV for reconfirmation and the result is expected by tomorrow,” the Minister told reporters during the sidelines of an event.