‘Mystery virus’ kills 6, Kerala govt asks Centre to send a team of experts
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Sunday urged the Centre to rush a team of experts after panic gripped many areas of the northern part of the state following the death of six people in Perambra in Kozhikode district in the last two weeks after they were infected with an unknown virus.
An official of the health department said eight people are critical while 25 others are under observation. Kerala health minister KK Shailaja on Sunday said the cause of death remains to be ascertained, and urged people not to spread false news about a rare virus being responsible.
“The samples of the infected have been collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology (in Pune). We are expecting results in a couple of days.”
The health department has opened an isolation ward in Kozhikode medical college and hospital, and formed a task force headed by district collector UV Jose. The state government has also cancelled the leaves of the doctors and the paramedical staff, and has sought help from the private hospitals.
Among those undergoing treatment are a nurse who attended to one of the deceased and four other family members. Of the dead, three belong to a family — Mohammed Sadik, 26; his brother Mohamed Saliah, 28; and their paternal aunt Mariumma, 50. Three others of a family, who were on ventilators and who have not been identified yet, died on Sunday, officials said.
Virology experts from Manipal and Apollo hospitals have visited the area and collected blood samples of those affected.
An official has been deputed to prepare a list of those who interacted with the deceased and keep them under observation.
Meanwhile, doctors suspect it may be viral encephalitis-induced myocarditis (a disease marked by inflammation and damage of the heart muscle). But they are not sure about how the virus spread, and suspect it could have through birds or animals. People have been advised not to eat fruits and other food items bitten by birds or animals.