Kozhikode: Giving clear indications that the Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode is currently under control, the test results of ten close contacts returned negative late on Monday.
All these ten persons came in close contact with the 12-year-old boy who died of Nipah virus infection on Sunday.
They include the boy's parents and healthcare workers who treated him.
"The negative results give us a huge relief," said Health Minister Veena George while disclosing the results at the Kozhikode collectorate Tuesday morning.
"The eight samples of parents and healthcare workers were sent to Pune on Sunday (after the boy's death). They had interacted with the boy closely. So it is a huge relief to get the negative results,"she said. Later in the day, it was informed that the results of two more samples tested at the facility set up at the Kozhikode Government Medical College also turned out to be negative.
The samples of three more close contacts are being tested on Tuesday.
The health department had identified the above mentioned 13 close contacts in the last two days.
It also prepared a list of 251 persons who might have come in contact with the deceased boy. Of this, 54 persons, including 30 health workers, have been included in the high-risk category.
Based on the list, 38 persons have been shifted to isolation wards at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.
Veena George said despite the negative results, the health department will continue contact tracing and testing. "We will also continue our efforts to identify the source of infection," she said.
Testing facility at Kozhikode
What comes handy at the time of crisis like this is the setting up of a testing facility at the Medical College Hospital. This will speed up diagnosis and curtail the spread of the disease.
The temporary facility was set up by a team of experts from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
The team will quickly test the samples and inform the doctors about the result. However, the samples will be re-tested at Pune before announcing the final result.
The zoonotic Nipah virus had killed 23 persons (16 confirmed deaths and seven suspected) in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in 2018. Two people had survived the infection.
Kozhikode, Kannur and Malappuram districts have been on high alert since Sunday after the re-emergence of the virus.
Rambutan samples
A team from the Animal Husbandry department visited the victim’s house at Chathamangalam on Monday and collected fruits from the two Rambutan trees in its premises on Monday. “The team has identified the presence of bats in the vicinity,” the minister said.
Nipah enquiry counters
The health department has launched four round-the-clock Nipah enquiry counters at the government guest house in Kozhikode. People can contact the following telephone numbers for their queries related to Nipah anytime. 0495- 2382500, 0495-2382501, 0495-2382800, 0495-2382801.
