Contacts of Nipah victim test negative
Eleven samples collected from close contacts of a 12-year-old boy who died of Nipah this week tested negative for the disease on Tuesday in what was described by the Kerala government as a big relief for a state which is struggling to control its Covid-19 cases. Talking to reportes in the state capital, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Nipah situation was under control. The government has taken enough measures, and deadly virus will be localised and contained effectively, he added. “Samples, including that of parents, were tested negative. Condition of those admitted in hospitals with symptoms is stable now. We are expecting more results from the National Institute of Virology (Pune),” Vijayan said. He added that four ministers were camping in Kozhikode in north Kerala to review the Nipah situation and help the district administration in any way possible.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Eleven samples collected from close contacts of a 12-year-old boy who died after being infected with the Nipah virus this week tested negative for the disease on Tuesday in what was described by the Kerala government as a big relief for a state.
Talking to reporters in the state capital, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Nipah situation was under control. The government has taken enough measures, and the deadly virus will be localised and contained effectively, he added. “Samples, including that of parents, tested negative. The condition of those admitted to hospitals with symptoms is stable now. We are expecting more results from the National Institute of Virology (Pune),” Vijayan said.
He added that four ministers were camping in Kozhikode in north Kerala to review the Nipah situation and help the district administration. Out of 257 contacts of the boy, 141 are health workers, and 51 of them have been hospitalised as a precaution. Only the primary contacts of the boy and those showing severe symptoms are being tested. Around 21 samples have been sent so far, some are getting tested in medical college lab with the help of NIV scientists camping in the city.
At a time when the state is grappling with a high Covid-19 caseload — Kerala reported 25,722 cases on Tuesday — Nipah claimed the life of the boy on Sunday, leading to a high alert in Kozhikode and neighbouring districts. The region is reporting Nipah infections for the second time in four years. In 2018, it claimed 17 lives in the district.
“Different teams are at work to trace the source of infection. Experts have recovered halfeaten rambutan fruits from the premises of the boy. They also found a fruit bat habitat near his house,” said state health minister Veena George, adding that a team from the National Institute of High-security Animal Diseases Laboratory from Bhopal will be in the city on Wednesday.
“It is a great relief for us that all are negative. Among 11, include the boy’s parents and medical officials. We will contain the outbreak as we did in 2018.”
It is a great relief for us that all are negative. We will contain outbreak as we did in 2018 VEENA GEORGE, Health min