Kerala to conduct Nipah tests on all high-risk contacts following recent outbreak
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Kozhikode: Kerala government has taken a proactive approach to curb the spread of the Nipah virus by deciding to test body-fluid samples from all individuals on the 'high-risk' contact list connected to the first Nipah victim, who passed away on August 30 in the latest outbreak.
State Health Minister Veena George made the announcement following a high-level meeting on the matter. She said, "We have decided to take samples of all the persons who are in the high-risk contact list of the first person, who died on August 30."
She also mandated that hospitals treating Nipah patients form medical boards for their care. These medical boards are required to submit patient medical reports to the Health Department every 12 hours, reported ANI.
She revealed that there are 14 individuals in isolation without any known epidemiological link to those who succumbed to the Nipah virus. "We have some patients in isolation in private hospitals. Eleven have mild symptoms, so their samples are also being taken and sent to the lab," she added.
Veena George also provided an update on the nine-year-old son of the first Nipah victim, stating that his vital signs remain stable.
To improve testing capabilities, the minister inaugurated the mobile virology lab of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology. This mobile lab will be stationed in the Nipah containment zone in Kozhikode district. It has two machines, each capable of testing 96 samples simultaneously.
Chandrabhas Narayana, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, emphasised that the mobile lab would operate round the clock, with test results becoming available approximately six hours after testing.
In a concerning development, a health worker from a private hospital tested positive for Nipah on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases in the current Nipah outbreak in Kerala to five.
As a precautionary measure, Kozhikode district authorities have ordered the closure of educational institutions on September 14, 15, and 16. Tuition and coaching centres are also prohibited from operating during these days. However, university and PSC exam schedules remain unaffected.
Kozhikode District Collector A Geetha urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and gatherings and encouraged educational institutions to arrange online classes, emphasising that caution is a key prevention measure.