logo
Nipah: 461 on contact list, 27 high-risk

Nipah: 461 on contact list, 27 high-risk

Time of India2 days ago
Kozhikode: Health minister Veena George, who chaired a Nipah awareness meet at Malappuram collectorate on Monday evening, said 461 people were currently on the contact list in Kerala.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
She said 252 are from Malappuram and 209 from Palakkad and they were kept under observation in Malappuram, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Ernakulam.
Also, 27 individuals, categorized as high-risk contacts, are now in quarantine. Among the two healthcare workers undergoing treatment at Manjeri Medical College, one is a CT scan technician. Of the 48 persons tested from the contact list, 46 have tested negative, she said.
This includes 23 persons from Manjeri Medical College and 23 from Kozhikode.
"This is a critical period for those who had direct contact with the two patients and we should not take it lightly. A full 21-day quarantine must be followed," said George. She urged residents of Malappuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode to wear masks and added that LSGIs must ensure food is provided to those under quarantine.
Education department was directed to grant special casual leave to teachers residing in containment zones and to ensure online classes for affected students.
"No one on the contact list should go untraced," she said, adding that police assistance was sought to ensure this.
George said no connection has been established between the two cases reported from Palakkad and Malappuram and there is no link between these cases and the case that was reported at Valanchery in May. Surveillance activities were completed across 8,706 households in Malappuram's containment zones to identify individuals with fever.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
MLA Manjalamkuzhi Ali, collector VR Vinod, additional director of public health Dr KP Reetha and others attended the meeting. Additional chief secretary Rajan Khobragade, Kozhikode and Palakkad collectors, DMOs, senior police officers and representatives from various departments participated online.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Woman who died in quarantine tests negative for Nipah
Woman who died in quarantine tests negative for Nipah

The Hindu

time4 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Woman who died in quarantine tests negative for Nipah

Health officials in Malappuram district heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday when a 78-year-old woman from Parappanangadi who had been under treatment in quarantine after contact with a Nipah patient and later passed away tested negative for the virus posthumously. Her funeral had been put on hold awaiting the test results. Health Minister Veena George said that 498 people in the State were on the Nipah contact list. She said prevention activities should continue until September as per the Nipah calendar. When 203 people are under observation in Malappuram, 116 are under observation in Kozhikode, 177 in Palakkad, and two in Ernakulam. Eleven of them are under treatment in Malappuram, with two in intensive care units. As many as 46 persons on the contact list in Malappuram have tested negative for Nipah so far. In Palakkad, three persons are being treated in isolation. Five tests in Palakkad have been negative so far. The Minister said that 29 persons in the State were in highest risk category and 116 in high risk category. The Nipah-infected woman is under treatment in Kozhikode. Meanwhile, a Central medical team on Wednesday visited Malappuram and Palakkad districts to coordinate the virus prevention efforts. The national joint outbreak response team appointed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will give a report to the Centre. The Central team is led by Pranay Verma, joint director at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The team includes experts from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, scientists, veterinary consultants and animal husbandry experts.

Nipah virus: ‘No alarming situation in Coimbatore district'
Nipah virus: ‘No alarming situation in Coimbatore district'

The Hindu

time7 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Nipah virus: ‘No alarming situation in Coimbatore district'

The district administration on Wednesday clarified that there was no alarming situation in Coimbatore in the wake of two positive cases of Nipah virus reported in Palakkad and Malappuram districts in Kerala. District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar told The Hindu that the district has not come across any cases of the zoonotic disease so far. However, various teams are on alert to respond swiftly in case of an emergency. The Deputy Director of Health Services was constantly monitoring the situation in the district. Mr. Giriyappanavar added that there was no need for screening and monitoring at the inter-State check-posts in the district at present. Out of the two confirmed cases reported in Kerala, an 18-year-old girl from Malappuram district died of acute encephalitis syndrome in a hospital in Kozhikode and her samples tested positive for the disease later. The second patient, a 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara in Palakkad, is undergoing treatment in a hospital at Perinthalmanna. Meanwhile, a woman in the contact list of the Malappuram girl died on Wednesday. While containment zones have been declared in 20 wards in Malappuram and six wards in Palakkad, more than 400 persons in the contact list of the two patients are under surveillance in Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, Health Department sources said. Deputy Director of Health Services P. Balusamy said doctors in government and private hospitals in Coimbatore district have been sensitised about Nipah virus. Guidelines on handling suspected Nipah cases and treatment protocols have been communicated to all the primary health centres, government hospitals, tertiary level hospitals and private hospitals in the district. 'All the hospitals have been instructed to be alert if they come across any patient with suspected symptoms. Rapid response teams are ready to respond if required,' he said. Nipah virus infection triggers symptoms similar to that of influenza, such as fever, muscle pain and respiratory problems. Headache, throat pain and disorientation due to inflammation of the brain are among other symptoms.

Months after testing negative, two Nipah survivors remain in coma in Kerala
Months after testing negative, two Nipah survivors remain in coma in Kerala

New Indian Express

time19 hours ago

  • New Indian Express

Months after testing negative, two Nipah survivors remain in coma in Kerala

KOZHIKODE: Emphasising the agonising nature of Nipah outbreaks in the Malabar region, two individuals, once hailed for surviving the deadly infection, remain in a vegetative state, months after being declared virus-free. The cases have raised profound concern among families and healthcare professionals, revealing a terrifying, often unseen, aftermath of the battle with the virus: A brain that simply refuses to wake up. These aren't just statistics; they are lives suspended in a cruel limbo, highlighting the devastating and often unpredictable long-term neurological impact of Nipah. The region, still reeling from outbreaks in August 2023 and May 2025 across Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, now faces a new, agonising question: What does 'survival' truly mean when the mind remains trapped? Tito Joseph is a 25-year-old Malayali from Mardala in Mangaluru. For 19 agonising months, Tito has been confined to a hospital bed, a silent testament to Nipah's insidious power. His brother, Shijo, voices the family's despair. 'We thought the worst was over when the virus test turned negative. My brother has not opened his eyes in over 19 months. We just want to know, will he ever wake up?' Tito's case is particularly perplexing. During his initial month of Nipah treatment, he endured the ordeal alone, showing no severe health concerns apart from fleeting high temperature. 'Our family was relaxed,' Shijo recalls. 'But the post-Nipah period completely changed our lives. We have been living in the hope of seeing him return to life.' According to doctors treating Tito, his condition is believed to be the first of its kind in the country for a Nipah survivor. Adding to this sombre reality is the case of a 42-year-old woman, whose family, seeking privacy, has chosen to keep her identity hidden. She remained on ventilator support in the intensive care unit of EMS Memorial Hospital, Perinthalmanna, before being transferred to her residence. Despite receiving two doses of monoclonal antibodies and other critical medicines as part of the state's Nipah treatment protocol, her condition remains stable, with no signs of improvement or deterioration.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store