Following two “unnatural deaths” in Kozhikode district, Kerala health minister Veena George on Tuesday said the results of the samples sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune are awaited. The samples sent for testing to the virology institute are from one of the deceased and four of his kin. The minister clarified that the state has not officially announced the outbreak of the Nipah.
“The results of samples which were sent to the Pune Virology Lab after suspecting the Nipah virus will be received by evening. We have already made a list of contacts of the people who have lost their lives so far. Nipah virus has not been announced officially, we are taking all preventive steps,” she told reporters.
A district-wide health alert was issued on Monday after two deaths were suspected to be due to Nipah virus infection.
Control room in Kozhikode
The Kerala government, meanwhile, has set up a control room in Kozhikode and advised people to use masks as a precautionary measure.
“We have opened a control room here. To coordinate the precautionary measures, we have formed 16 committees and all the hospitals and the health workers have been instructed to follow the infection control protocol including wearing of PPE kits,” George said.
She also advised against unnecessary hospital visits.
“There is no need for any fear or concern as of now, and all these measures are precautionary measures to avoid more cases if the results turn positive. We hope it returns negative,” George said.
Earlier in the day, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a video message that the state government is viewing the two deaths very seriously. The chief minister advised people to exercise caution and said there was no reason to worry as those who were in close contact with the deceased were under treatment.
“There is nothing to worry about. Those who were in contact with the deceased are being traced and treated. Being careful is the key to tackling the situation. Everyone is requested to cooperate with the action plan prepared by the health department,” he said.
What is Nipah virus?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person-to-person. Among infected people, it causes a range of illnesses, from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers, WHO said.
