Nipah in Kerala: tests of 7 direct contacts turn negative

Malappuram: In Kerala, swab tests of seven people who came in contact with the dead 14-year-old Nipah patient have turned out negative, Kerala Health Minister Veena George informed.

The results were of six friends of the deceased boy who were in direct contact with him and of a separate case of a 68-year-old, who had no direct contact but was tested because he suffered from fever. However, none from the deceased’s family is showing symptoms so far. The deceased will be cremated as per protocols.

When there are 330 people on the contact list, 68 of them are health workers, 101 are in the high-risk category, and seven are in the hospital and under treatment.

The health minister said that all those in the contact list will be screened for infection, but samples of people with symptoms would be tested first. Strict double-checking will be done so that none of the items on the list are left out. Further, a more detailed and clearer route map of the deceased will be released, and people should check the route map and report to the control room if they come in contact with the boy.

Veena George said that CCTV footage of the hospitals where the child was being treated has been examined.

As part of the disease prevention activities, vigorous preventive activities are being carried out at the field level. Eighteen cases of fever have been reported in a survey conducted yesterday afternoon (21st July) in 307 houses in Malappuram’s Pandikkad gram panchayat. Ten fever cases were reported in the survey in 310 houses in Anakayam when none of them were on the contact list. A meeting of Pandikkad, Anakkayam, Porur, Keezhatoor, Thuvvur gram panchayat presidents and Perinthalmanna and Mancheri municipal council presidents has been held online to carry out disease prevention activities properly and to ensure support to those who are in isolation.

A meeting of the Indian Medical Association and private hospital management has been held to ensure their support in the prevention of Nipah. Arrangements have been made to deliver food to the homes of those in isolation, as well as their livestock. The mobile lab from the Pune Institute of Virology will arrive tomorrow (July 22) to test swabs. The minister also informed that this lab will work in collaboration with the microbiology lab of Kozhikode Medical College.