Mysuru: The Mysuru Health Department authorities have heaved a sigh of relief as the first suspected monkeypox case that was screened has tested negative.

A 12-year-old girl from K.R. Nagar was screened recently with symptoms of monkeypox including boils and blisters on her hand and body. The girl was referred to a private paediatric clinic in Mysuru by doctors in K.R. Nagar and the clinic doctors alerted the District Health Officer (DHO) on the symptoms.

DHO Dr. K.H. Prasad said that the blood samples of the girl were sent to the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute, the designated lab in the State for monkeypox surveillance and the test results have come negative.

The girl has been diagnosed with chickenpox and she is under treatment. Even the blisters and boils on her skin are showing signs of subsiding. She will be discharged from the hospital in another two or three days, the DHO said. The girl had initially developed fever and it has now been established that it is a case of chickenpox and the child is positive for varicella zoster virus. The child had no travel history. “There is no need of panic and this is a virus attack and is not life-threatening. Treatment protocols have to be followed and there are medicines to cure the condition,”  Dr. Prasad added.