New Delhi (Agency):The Kerala government has set up a control room in the district of Kozhikode as it waits for test results to confirm the presence of the Nipah virus. This move comes after two “unnatural deaths” due to fever were reported from the district. Samples from one of the deceased and four relatives have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing.
A district-wide health alert was announced after the deaths, raising suspicions of Nipah virus infection. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned in a Facebook post that the health department has issued an alert. He assured that most people who had close contact with the deceased are under medical treatment, so there is “no need to worry.”
State Health Minister Veena George held a high-level meeting to discuss the situation. The government has taken several steps to prepare for the possibility of the virus’s presence. “We have opened a control room here. To coordinate the precautionary measures, we have formed 16 committees,” George said. She also mentioned that all hospitals and health workers are instructed to follow infection control protocols, including wearing PPE kits.
George said that four relatives of the first deceased individual are in the hospital, and one child is on ventilator support. “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,” she added.
Contact tracing has begun to identify high-risk contacts. “We have taken all the precautionary steps based on suspicion that the death may be due to the Nipah virus. But it can be confirmed only after the samples are tested at Pune NIV,” George stated.
The health department also plans to set up an isolation center at Kozhikode Medical College hospital and increase staff as needed. Deaths from Nipah virus were previously reported in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021.
According to the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is a zoonotic illness, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or directly from person to person. The virus can cause a range of symptoms, from no symptoms at all to severe respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. It also affects animals like pigs, causing economic loss for farmers.