The suspected case is reported to have been a 22-year-old who died on Saturday and could be the country's first monkeypox fatality.
"The youth had no symptoms of monkeypox. He had been admitted to the hospital with symptoms of encephalitis and fatigue. His relatives handed over the test result only on Saturday. A high-level probe would be held into the death as monkeypox has a very low fatality rate," the minister said, as quoted by the Indian Express.
According to the newspaper's source, the young man was tested in the United Arab Emirates prior to boarding the flight to Kerala earlier in the month. The Indian Express also reported that he was buried in accordance with the monkeypox victim protocol and all of his primary contacts are under observation.
On July 23, the World Health Organization declared the monkeypox outbreak an international public health emergency. Over 22,000 cases have been reported worldwide in more than 70 countries.