Thiruvananthapuram,   Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Thursday said a suspected case of monkeypox has surfaced in the state and the sample has been sent to the NIV Pune laboratory.

The results are likely to come later in the day.

The suspect, who arrived from abroad, has been identified, was a close contact of a person who turned positive for monkeypox, and hence this person has been kept under close surveillance.

"No cause for any worry at all as things are all under control. We will now wait for the test result to come," said George.