Kozhikode: On a day when 10 samples returned negative for Nipah virus, Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George said on Tuesday that the situation in Kozhikode is satisfactory.
Of the 10 samples, eight were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune and the remaining two were done at the temporary testing facility at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode. The facility was set up on Monday with the support of experts from the Pune institute and can test up to 96 samples at a time.
“There is no need for panic,” the minister said at a press conference in Kozhikode on Tuesday.
Only one Nipah virus infection has been confirmed in Kozhikode so far. The infected, 12-year-old Mohammed Hashim, had succumbed to the virus on September 5.
The samples collected from the boy’s parents, close relatives and health care workers, however, returned negative on Tuesday.
A route map of the institutions, where the deceased had sought medical care, has been prepared and shared with the media, the minister said.
She urged people to inform the health officials if they find dead bats in their vicinity. “No one should touch dead bats,”she said.
She also warned action against those who spread fake news about Nipah virus infection.
Special team to study bats
Health Minister Veena George said that a special team will reach Kozhikode on Wednesday to study bats in search of the origin of the latest reporting of Nipah virus infection.
An online meeting that was attended by the MLAs, MPs and ministers from Kozhikode also decided to launch a study into the reemergence of the Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode after 2018.
The minister has warned against trying to kill bats in the wake of the recent developments. Attempts to destroy the habitats of bats could lead to dire consequences.
257 in primary contact list
Six more people have been included in the primary contact list of the deceased, taking the total number to 257. Of this, 122 persons, including 44 healthcare workers, have been identified as close contacts.
Fifty one persons have been isolated at the Government Medical College Hospital and 17 are mildly symptomatic.
The contact list has 35 persons from Malappuram, Palakkad, Kannur, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
Volunteers visit houses
With an aim to clear people’s doubts about the infection, teams of trained volunteers have begun visiting houses in Chathamangalam gram panchayat. On Monday, volunteers met 12, 695 persons belonging to 3,307 homes.
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.
