Visakhapatnam: A final year MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) student of a private medical college in the city was diagnosed with suspected symptoms of monkeypox on Friday. The health department informed the Visakhapatnam Collector Mallikarjuna of the suspected monkeypox case. The health department is vigilant and is checking on her health updates.
The medical student was admitted to the hospital a few days ago, but it was on Friday that doctors noticed rashes on her body and fingers. As these are the initial symptoms of monkeypox, the medical college staff took the matter to the district health department office. The District Medical and Health Officer Dr Vijayalakshmi in accordance with the Collector wrote a letter to Andhra Medical College Principal Dr Buchiraju asking for the Rapid Response Team to be sent to the medical college for examination.
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On Friday afternoon, a team of assistant professors of medicine, dermatology, SPM, and microbiology departments of the college and two technicians was sent to the medical college. The samples will be collected today and sent to the virology lab in Pune. The medical officials said, "This is only a suspicious symptom, but we need to be alert." The family members of the student have been informed in Hyderabad and they are expected to reach Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Officials are collecting information on the people she came in contact with.
