Kozhikode, state government Confirmed on Saturday Nipah Virus Infection one of 14 year old boy coming from Pandikkad In Malappuram,
As of Saturday evening, the boy's parents or relatives had no symptoms. The area within a 3-km radius of the epicentre has been declared a 'containment zone'. Control Area,
60 contacts of the infected child have been put in the high-risk category, while a total of 214 people have been put under surveillance. Restrictions have been imposed in Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats, while the patient has been rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
The Nipah protocol was implemented from Saturday morning and Health Minister Veena George said that the state is fully prepared to deal with this deadly disease.
,NIV Pune has confirmed that a 14-year-old boy, who was undergoing treatment with Nipah symptoms in Malappuram, was positive for Nipah. Need to ensure that samples of all are taken high risk contacts “Everyone is being tested and all contacts are being identified,” George said.
This is the fifth case of Nipah in the state so far. The Nipah outbreak in Kerala was first seen in Kozhikode in 2018. It was then reported in Ernakulam in 2019 and then in Kozhikode in 2021 and 2023. 19 people died in this outbreak in 2018 and a 13-year-old child died in 2021.
George said that caution should be exercised in the district and visiting hospitals should be avoided unless it is very urgent. Everyone should wear masks while visiting public places. He said that hospitals should follow infection control protocols. He said that contact tracing is important and efforts are on to collect maximum data.
As per the SOP, 25 committees have been immediately formed in the district for Nipah control. The monoclonal antibodies required for the treatment have been dispatched from the Pune Virology Lab and will arrive by Sunday morning. A team of experts from the Pune Virology Institute will soon reach Malappuram to collect samples from animals.
KMSCL has been directed to procure other medicines, masks, PPE kits and testing kits.
Thirty isolation rooms have been set up along with a six-bed ICU at Manjeri Medical College Hospital. All those who came in contact with the patient are being monitored. Surveillance measures will be further intensified and restrictions will be imposed within a 3 km radius of the outbreak centre. The minister said there is no need to panic, but it is important to maintain vigilance.
After developing a fever on July 10, the boy sought treatment at a private clinic on July 12. He was also consulted at a private hospital in Pandikkad on July 13. Though he was admitted to the same private hospital on July 15, he was later shifted to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna and then to a private hospital in Kozhikode. The sample collected there confirmed the infection.
The Health Department has opened a control room in Malappuram. The 24-hour control room is located at the Malappuram PWD Rest House. The control room number is 0483-2732010. The Health Minister is camping in the district to assess the situation.
