Nipah: 425 on contact list, fever surveillance to be held
National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, confirmed that death of 18-year-old girl from Chettiyarangadi, in Malappuram, on July 1 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode was due to Nipah infection.
A 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara, in Palakkad, who also tested positive, is battling for life at Moulana Hospital, Perinthalmanna.
Meanwhile, the central surveillance unit of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is in close contact with the state unit and is actively monitoring the situation after two Nipah virus cases were detected by Kerala IDSP.
According to official sources, the deployment of a national joint outbreak response team is being considered.
In Malappuram, there are 228 people, 110 in Palakkad and 87 people in Kozhikode on the contact list. Twelve persons are under treatment in Malappuram, with five in the ICU. One person on the contact list tested negative. In Palakkad, one person is under isolation treatment.
There are 61 healthcare workers on the contact list in Palakkad.
In Kozhikode district, all 87 people on the contact list are healthcare workers. Instructions have been given to conduct fever surveillance in the area, said George. Those on the contact list in Palakkad should be isolated there, she said.
"Mental support should be ensured. Ambulances, including Kaniv 108, are on standby. Instructions have been given to intensify efforts to identify the source," said a statement issued after a high-level review meeting held on Saturday.
No new person with symptoms in Malappuram
Meanwhile, Malappuram district health administration intensified the surveillance programme in various parts of four panchayats. A special team conducted inspections in 20 wards of Makkaraparamba, Kuruva, Koottilangadi and Mankada panchayats.
According to health authorities, more than 60 special health squads visited 1,655 houses in these panchayats on Saturday. No individuals with symptoms were identified in the survey conducted in these regions. With the confirmation of Nipah virus presence, four panchayats have already been declared as containment zones. Restrictions are in place in various wards of these panchayats. Authorities informed that in the containment zones, public gatherings should be avoided, wearing masks in public places is mandatory, gatherings should be minimised, commercial establishments are allowed to operate only from 8am to 6pm and educational institutions should remain closed.
Awareness campaigns were conducted about Nipah prevention methods.
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